The leader of the PP sees his predecessor in office “well”, but with “little desire” to return to political activity
Alberto Núñez Feijóo toured this Wednesday the barely 500 meters that separate the Senate from the central Taberna del Alabardero, located on one of the sides of the Teatro Real, to share a table and tablecloth with his predecessor in office, Pablo Casado. It was a lunch that both had pending since Juanma Moreno’s victory in the Andalusian elections, but that had been postponed on several occasions “for scheduling reasons”; the last one before Christmas, according to PP sources.
The date, however, did not go unnoticed by anyone. This Thursday marks one year since the meeting that both held in Genoa, prior to a summit with all the territorial barons that concluded at dawn – the so-called ‘night of the long knives’ – and with the commitment of the then president of the PP of leave office in an extraordinary congress. An agreed exit that put an end to an unprecedented crisis in the history of the party caused by the open war between Casado and Isabel Díaz Ayuso for control of the PP in Madrid, which led to crossed accusations of espionage and corruption.
“It’s nothing exceptional. The food had been pending for months, “they pointed out from the Feijóo environment. In this way, they wanted to downplay the fact that the gastronomic event had coincided with the anniversary of Casado’s fall and emphasizing that both maintain “a fluid relationship”, which they have maintained in these ten months since the former president of the Xunta is at the helm of the PP and in which, in addition, they have shared “reflections” on various occasions. “The meal is part of a climate of normality and respect between two people – they had an impact from the management – who have had the honor of presiding over the Popular Party.”
Just over two hours, in which they saw their faces for the first time since the transfer of powers in April and in which Feijóo saw Casado “well”, although he left with the feeling that the former president of the popular until February of last year “he has little desire to return” to active politics. “They talked about how each other was doing and about some current issue,” they limit themselves to pointing to the Galician leader’s environment.
They did not address a future participation of the ex-politician in campaign events on the occasion of the upcoming regional and municipal elections in May. Despite this “fluid relationship”, Genoa has made it clear that she does not count on Casado for the contests that are to come. They consider that his figure right now “subtracts more than adds” and that “there is nothing in the game for him.” At least for now, although “everything will come.” “The PP does not look in the rear-view mirror and is focused on the future, responding professionally to the Spanish desire for change,” the campaign spokesman, Borja Sémper, cleared the ball on Monday.
Absence in Valencia
Casado was also left out of the conclave that was held in Valencia at the beginning of the month and that did have the presence of the former presidents of the Government José María Aznar and Mariano Rajoy to show an image of “union” between the past and the present of the party . The argument that was put forward for not inviting Feijóo’s predecessor was that they wanted to give a voice to the two PP leaders who can “value public management”, a performance that Casado never reached. A gesture that did not go down very well in the environment of the former leader of the popular who considers that he should have been invited to the convention, which was held in the same place where, in October 2021, Casado took a mass bath before 9,000 militants. Although they also acknowledge that he would have declined assistance.
One year after his abrupt departure from politics, Casado has turned the page and has redone his working life. Since June he has been working in a Defense investment fund for which he has to travel regularly to the United States and Latin America. “He is calm and enjoying his family,” acknowledge sources close to the former leader, who in just seven days witnessed an unexpected demolition and a barrage of personal disappointments.
A sector of the PP believes that it is still too early for Casado to reappear at party events. They consider that after going through the worst crisis in its history, the formation “is now united” and they slip that, just three months before the elections on May 28, they cannot afford a rehabilitation of the former leader of the popular ranks before time reopens internal “tensions”. Especially after his fierce struggle with Díaz Ayuso.
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