The general secretary of the PSOE and president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has reiterated his commitment to raise the Minimum Interprofessional Salary annually and to “safeguard in the Constitution” the updating of pensions. In addition, he has called for people to vote “en masse” on next November 29 for a progressive Executive in order to “go much further in the next four years” on social advances, against what, as he has denounced, “the right-wing and the far-right” both Spanish and from other countries are trying to stop.
Sánchez spoke this Sunday at a pre-campaign event held at a Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, full to capacity, under the slogan ‘The strength of the country’. There he defended that in Spain “we have gone far” in terms of social rights and economic growth, but he insisted that it is possible to go “much further” during the next four years “with a new progressive government”.
“That is why the right attacks us, but not only the right of Spain, but also the far right of Spain and the international far right. That is why they come here to Spain, because we are the living proof, not only of words, but also of deeds, that hope is much more effective for the prosperity of societies than the hatred they spread and promote from the administrations,” the socialist leader emphasized.
Backed by the attendees, who chanted ‘president’, Pedro Sánchez has guaranteed that, as long as he remains at the head of the Government, the SMI will increase every year, and he has reiterated his promise to “safeguard in the Constitution” the revaluation of pensions to protect the purchasing power of retirees.
In his speech, he asked for broad backing at the ballot box: “If you want us to go further and sooner in social conquests, especially in housing, I do not ask for a simple majority, I ask for a broad and progressive majority in the next Parliament, to go sooner and further in social conquests,” he said, linking that majority to new social measures.
For this reason, he has advanced that the PSOE will throw itself into the campaign on 29N to mobilize voters, comparing the situation with that in the United States, where, as he recalled, citizens reacted after becoming the “epicenter of all the ultra-right international”. “We’re going for the Congress and for the Senate because there’s a lot of work to be done,” he said.
Pedro Sánchez has also claimed the actions of the Spanish Executive in the international context "during these hard years of the far-right wave," noting that they have said "no to the war in Iran, that what is being perpetrated in Gaza is a genocide, they were told no to spending 5% in the budget on defense because we want to keep paying for the education of our sons and daughters". "And we are going to mobilize again and we are going to start winning again against involution," he has asserted.
Criticism of Feijóo and Abascal
The PSOE candidate for president has gone after the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, recalling that he said that, "if he governs, music lists on Spotify are over". "That is caring about what is important; that is state policy; that is a song of joy. Feijóo is not sadder because he doesn't want to," he said, mocking his priorities.
Sánchez has accused right-wing leaders of pretending to be brave, but he has maintained that the president of the PP "is not going on public television so that they ask him about pensions," and that the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, "is not going on Broncano, and if he goes, it is with an audience that he decides."
He has also questioned their ability to stand up to international partners: "Will these be brave enough to tell Trump no to the 5% of GDP if they govern? These swallow everything, the 5%, the war in Iran, the genocide in Gaza, anything. That is why next November 29 we have to vote with force to have a brave government that defends Spain’s interests. We are going to tell the one who thinks he is the 'sheriff' of the world that what happens in Spain is not decided in either Whashington or Tel Aviv or Buenos Aires or Moscow. That Spain is a sovereign country and it is not going to be the backyard of any far-right international," he emphasized.
Along these lines, he has warned that it is not enough to "repeat a parliamentary majority and stop the far right and the right that has clearly caved in before the far right," and he has reminded that the popular party asks for the vote for Vox in territories such as Guipúzcoa, Girona and Tarragona. "But don't insult people's intelligence, man," he stressed.
Pedro Sánchez, who has repeatedly gotten up from his seat to tell the rally participants, has again demanded that people vote "en masse" on November 29 "so that mobilization defeats involution". In his view, "the only border between progress and involution is called the vote." "And I appeal to that vote, to the massive vote, to be an example again. Let’s make history, let’s vote, let’s win, and four more years of progressive government," he added.
(There will be an update)