The PP keeps unchanged its position that the 'face-to-face' between the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the leader of the populares, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, will take place at the Mediaset group, while the four-way debate takes place at Atresmedia and not at RTVE, as proposed by the PSOE.
"Our proposal is what it is and we will not move," PP sources have indicated, who reproach the socialists for not having yet confirmed whether their candidate, Pedro Sánchez, will attend the 'face-to-face' set for November 16 on Telecinco.
So far, the scheme being considered included three appointments: the 'face-to-face' at Mediaset, a debate among spokespersons for the parliamentary groups on RTVE on November 23 and, lastly, a four-way debate at Atresmedia on the 26th. However, the PSOE argues that this last format be moved to public television.
PSOE demands the four-way debate on RTVE
The PSOE has given the go-ahead for a 'face-to-face' between Sánchez and Feijóo on November 16 on a private channel, but it demands that the four-way debate, in which the leaders of Vox and Frente Amplio also participate, be held on TVE and not on Atresmedia, as the PP demands.
In Ferraz they insist that their position remains unchanged and recall that all the debates are negotiated as a joint package. Therefore, they argue that at least one takes place on the public broadcaster and another on a private channel, which, according to sources from the Executive, is causing the current blockage.
A few days ago, Feijóo publicly committed himself to attend the four-way debate organized by Atresmedia — for which November 26 is being discussed, four days before the general elections — arguing that he likes "to keep commitments."
"I take the opportunity to reiterate that I am going to attend the four-way debate organized by Atresmedia. That is the commitment: one debate on a private channel, another debate on another private channel, and another debate on the public one. I like to keep commitments," Feijóo said at an event in 'La Razón', a publication belonging to the Atresmedia group.
According to PP sources, the party's secretary general, Miguel Tellado, has sent a letter to both audiovisual companies to confirm the presence of Núñez Feijóo both in the Mediaset 'face-to-face' on November 16 and in the four-way debate at Atresmedia on the 26th.
In addition, Tellado explained this Thursday — before starting a rally in Alcobendas — that he had just held a meeting at Mediaset. Despite this, the ‘popular’ [party] continue to wait for the PSOE to confirm Sánchez’s attendance so that they can hold a three-way meeting and lock in the format, the timings and the thematic blocks of the ‘face-to-face’.
At ‘Génova’, they emphasize that November 16 remains reserved for the showdown between Sánchez and Feijóo and that, if that debate is ultimately not held, they will opt for an interview with Feijóo on Mediaset in prime time, according to sources from his team.
Regarding the four-way debate, the PP reiterates that it should be organized by Atresmedia, although it is willing to change the date if Sánchez has to travel to a meeting of the European Council, according to the same ‘popular’ sources. For the moment, from Moncloa they have not clarified whether the president will attend that European summit or not.
Other debates already closed
At the same time, the PP has confirmed its participation in other debates, in this case without Feijóo’s direct presence. Thus, the vice secretary of Finance, Infrastructure and Housing will be on Friday, November 13, one day after the official start of the campaign, in a debate on housing and the economy organized by La Sexta.
At that event, the vice president of the Government and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo; the minister Pablo Bustinduy, for Frente Amplio; and the Vox deputy José María Figaredo will also take part, as La Sexta has reported.
Likewise, the PP and the PSOE have closed another debate focused on housing that will take place on the Cadena Ser on November 18 next, in which Juan Bravo and the Minister of Housing, Isabel Rodríguez, will face off.