The former Prime Minister warns the socialist leader against sycophants and encourages him to promote responsible criticism on the first day of the 40th Federal Congress
It would not have been Felipe González if he had limited himself to making a commendable and sweetened speech, if he had taken the stage of the 40th Federal Congress of the PSOE with a speech of exaltation of the unit. For that, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero had already preceded him. But the former president of the Government, still an unparalleled benchmark in socialism, gave Pedro Sánchez something surely more precious taking into account the precedents. «The general secretary knows that I am available, that I say what I think, that I mean what I say, and he also knows that I do not interfere. That is my availability, and my loyalty – he added – is with a political project that I led for 23 years and that you now lead, Pedro Sanchez. Ahead!”.
González’s participation in the conclave that has been held since this Friday, with a festive air, at the Valencia Trade Fair was undoubtedly the most awaited moment by a large part of the Socialist leaders and delegates because in itself it represents everything that is I wanted to convey that the deep wounds of the previous congressional process, a bloody internal battle that will remain for the history of the formation, have been healed. The former socialist leader then supported, like most barons and figures of the past, a Susana Díaz who claimed to be “100% PSOE” against a Sánchez who decided to ride on the frustration of the rank and file. That mass Díaz, who, stripped of all organic power, was walking around the congress today to tell that his intention would have been not to attend this appointment and that if he has done so it has been at the request of “Pedro.” Unit.
González arrived at the plenary session at eleven o’clock in the morning, packed to the brim, along with the other two living former secretaries general, Zapatero and Joaquín Almunia, whose speech is scheduled for the afternoon at a forum on the European Union. His entry, announced by the presenter of the event, was greeted with a standing ovation. And Sánchez, who until that moment was on stage, came down to receive them with a hug and sat between the two former presidents. There were still the interventions of the Deputy Secretary General, Adriana Lastra, with whom González had some friction in the recent past and the union leaders of CCOO and UGT, Unai Sordo and Pepe Álvarez.
González took the stand after Zapatero, reconciled with Sánchez almost from the beginning of his term, ended his speech with a harangue: “From this congress we are going to go out to win the next electoral cycles. Because it is a congress of unity, of new, renewed and advanced social democracy, “he said. «Thank you for inviting me, thank you for allowing me a greeting; I am going to lower the decibels, if José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero allows me ”, announced the patriarch. And he did. But he did not give reasons for Sánchez to regret having wanted to have him.
After a vindication of the work carried out by the Social Democrats and some veiled darts to both Podemos and the PP, González came to recognize that he never had to face a situation as complex as that of the current Prime Minister with the coronavirus pandemic and offered to help whenever called.
Liberty
González’s interventions on current issues have always alerted his successors. It also happened to Zapatero. Not just a year ago he warned about the “contradictions” implicit in the pact for the 2021 budgets with ERC and EH-Bildu due to the possibility that “they do not allow a country project.” A few words that became a bitter controversy. Lastra replied that even if they listen “carefully to the elderly,” now is the time for the young. “We are a new generation whose turn it is to lead the country and the leadership of the PSOE.” And the veteran politician rebelled with a “I do not represent anyone nor do I pretend to, but I will not allow anyone to shut me up.”
This Saturday, he made a recommendation to Sánchez, after recalling the motto of the first PSOE congress in which he participated: “socialism is freedom”: that it stimulates the “freedom to express oneself critically” and “the responsibility to think what is said” . «This is how a great party is built that represents society. Because that’s what is going to give us strength, “he said. González asked, in any case, for in-depth reflections on the country’s main problems and not the “last occurrence.” And in this sense, he asked, for example, to “devise” a response to neoliberalism, based on an “efficient” social and economic system that dignifies work, that is capable of redistributing income, but that is “efficient,” he insisted. .
In his words there is a certain unchecking of the recipes of Podemos against whom he also charged veiled by claiming himself as one of the last survivors of the “regime of 78” that, he said, brought democracy and freedom to Spain. “I am amazed by this wonderful discovery of the illustrious savvy who say how well I would have done after forty years later,” he ironically. He also declared himself against any tyranny, national or international, regardless of the political color in which it is involved.
He also dedicated some darts to the PP. And above all, he warned of the dangerous attitude he maintains when setting conditions to renew the General Council of the Judiciary. “The only guarantee of freedom – he sentenced – is compliance with the law.”
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