The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has asked the members of his party to get deeply involved in conveying to the public that Spain "is worse" than three years ago, the date of the last general elections, and that Pedro Sánchez's government "has failed the people," according to sources from the popular leadership who spoke to Europa Press.
In his end-of-political-year assessment this week, Feijóo had already set that argumentative line by stating that it has been "eight years of progressive deterioration that, at this point, is impossible to hide." In that appearance, he also maintained that Sánchez "deserves nothing but the greatest electoral punishment because he has been a disaster for this country."
In addition to emphasizing the cases of alleged corruption that affect the government and the PSOE, Feijóo has ordered his team to focus their discourse on the everyday problems of citizens and on how, in his view, the policies of the coalition cabinet of PSOE and Sumar have not resulted in a real improvement in their daily lives.
"The government has failed the people on very specific issues. And there is a large part of its electorate that is upset," sources from the PP leader's team point out, criticizing the lack of response from leftist sectors to an economic policy that, in their opinion, "has more makeup than reality."
With an eye on the upcoming general elections — which the popular leadership does not rule out could be brought forward — from 'Génova' they indicate that in the coming months they will "hammer" on Sánchez's "failure" in housing, his "fiscal hell," or the "increase in insecurity." They will also emphasize the "impoverishment of the middle class" and that the shopping basket in Spain is "skyrocketing."
In the PP, they take for granted that Pedro Sánchez will try to present an "idyllic" and "unreal" Spain in the assessment of the political year that he will offer on Tuesday, July 28, at the Palacio de la Moncloa. Therefore, Feijóo's team is preparing to counter that narrative and emphasize to public opinion how, according to their data, the situation of the country has "worsened" in recent years.
Data collection against the government's optimism
With this purpose, the PP has gathered a battery of figures that, in their opinion, dismantle the idea that Spain is better off than three years ago. First of all, they point to housing, which has become the main problem for citizens according to the barometer of the Center for Sociological Research (CIS).
"Housing has become a luxury: 65% more expensive for rent and 60% more expensive for purchase," say popular sources, who also emphasize that, despite the doctors' strike, the Executive has been "doing nothing" for months while there are "more than four million people with canceled consultations and operations."
In the migratory sphere, the PP will insist in the coming months that irregular immigration is "out of control" and that there are "almost four times more irregular entries than in 2018." Those of Feijóo are very critical of the extraordinary regularization process promoted by the Government, which "exceeds one million people."
The 'popular' will also emphasize that there is "more insecurity." "Sexual assaults with penetration have tripled" and every day "19 more crimes against sexual freedom" are recorded, as Feijóo himself publicly recalled last Wednesday.
Shopping basket "skyrocketing" and "fiscal hell"
In the economic field, the PP expects to emphasize that the shopping basket is "skyrocketing" because, in the words of the 'popular' leader, "it is measured in the fridge and food has risen by 43%." They will also add the complaint about Sánchez's "hell" of taxation and the fact that Spain "is the country where tax pressure grows the most," which stands at more than 2.9% while in the EU it decreases (-0.7%).
Likewise, the party will highlight that the real net average salary "has fallen by 3.4%" and that the average salary of those under 35 "is already lower than the average pension of new retirees," according to PP sources, who believe that the country is "further away from Europe" after losing "real per capita convergence." They will also focus on infrastructure as another "focus of deterioration," since, in their opinion, the "investment deficit" amounts to 300 billion euros.
Feijóo intends for his leaders to accompany this offensive with a message in a constructive key, in line with what he expressed this week. "Looking ahead we have the most hopeful news: for the Government, the worst is yet to come and Spain awaits the best, the change that will finally put an end to a legislature that should have never started," he stated on the 22nd, to conclude: "We are not going to fail."