For the popular party, everything starts today. We are in pre-campaign. The leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, met this Monday with his National Executive Board with a message as simple as it is forceful: "The PP has won the elections again". After the result obtained by the popular party in Andalusia, Feijóo declared the "campaign to achieve change in Spain" initiated and claimed his party as "the only force capable of winning with broad majorities" against the wear and tear of Pedro Sánchez's Government.
The popular president began his speech by congratulating the Popular Party of Andalusia and, especially, the Andalusian president, Juanma Moreno, for a victory he described as "clear, irrefutable, and broad". "It is spectacular in these times," he stated, contrasting "humility with arrogance" and "words with disqualification."
"Spaniards have responded with all accents, but with a single voice"
Feijóo highlighted that Andalusia has opted for "responsibility, budgets, tax cuts, and public services that work," and maintained that the Andalusian model has "strength for all of Spain" because it represents "a serious, clean, and useful way of governing."
During his speech, the popular leader depicted a country tired of "egocentric policies," of "insatiable partners" and of making "corruption a habit." He also denounced the economic deterioration that many families are suffering due to the increase in the price of housing and groceries, while —he said— the Executive continues "dividing society."
"Spaniards have responded with all accents, but with a single voice: Spain wants change," proclaimed Feijóo, convinced that "all of Sánchez's legacy has received a 'no, thank you' at the ballot box." In his opinion, the President of the Government has become an "electoral burden" for the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and "neither smoke screens nor the fear-mongering discourse" work anymore.
"The one who is scary is the Government without political limits. Sánchez is scary. That is scary," he stated, in contrast to a Popular Party that, he defended, transmits "tranquility and hope." "It is not scary for common sense to govern, it gives confidence," he added.
"There is no fucking boss here. I am a servant"
Internally, Feijóo wanted to reinforce the idea of a party far from personalism and ideological trenches. “We are not a majority of anger. We are a majority of hope,” he assured. And he launched one of the most commented-on phrases of his speech: “There is no fucking boss here. I am a servant.”
The popular leader also claimed that the PP “governs for everyone” and defended a way of doing politics based on “rigorous management, word, and public service.” “Defending the public means that everyone’s money serves everyone, that institutions are not used as partisan tools, and that services work,” he maintained.
Feijóo avoided explicitly mentioning an absolute majority, but he did insist that the PP is “the only party that wins with broad majorities” because it represents “a way of understanding Spain” through cohesion and not confrontation. “We do not demand uniformity, we have convictions, and we do not govern from a trench,” he stated.
Direction, values, program
With that objective, he announced the beginning of a new political stage based on “direction, values, and program.” A change of direction that is “serene, ambitious, and realistic”; a change of values to “put limits on the ego”; and a “state project” focused on institutional cohesion and solutions for the middle classes, young people, the elderly, security, immigration, and public services.
“From today until the next general elections, our agenda will be one: project, project, and project,” Feijóo concluded, making it clear that the Popular Party will henceforth focus all its strategy on building an alternative government. “Change is not waited for. Change is worked on and proposed. And the campaign begins today.”