The letter to citizens asking if “all this is worth it.” The signs of his party’s support, delivered to the leader. The thunderous silence in Moncloa for almost five days. The office with the King in Zarzuela. The institutional declaration scheduled for 12 this Monday, which was finally brought forward to 11. The announcement of a “regeneration” to be finalized. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is happy to have “got it right”, because he predicted last Thursday that he would stay. The publication of a CIS survey two hours later, giving Pedro Sánchez a 9.4 point advantage and paving the way for “reforms” in Justice, because that is what citizens demand. The call for another supposedly spontaneous rally in front of the CGPJ headquarters in the afternoon, under the slogan The coup wears a toga. And the interview with the president on TVE prime time, threatening the digital newspapers that he does not control with unspecified retaliation.
The succession of events of these days, especially this Monday, has led many Spaniards to think that Sánchez’s supposed existential and marital crisis has been nothing more than a colossal maneuver to: strengthen himself as a leader of the PSOE and the left. Strengthen the ranks of your Frankenstein majority to fight this battle against “the right and the extreme right.” Deactivate the Begoña case. Criminalize the opposition. And he created an alibi to go after the judges and certain media outlets for publishing information about his wife, which he described as “hoaxes and misinformation” on public television.
“They have taken the piss of a nation of 48 million Spaniards,” denounced Alberto Núñez Feijóo. “During these five days, we Spaniards have witnessed a crude, outrageous and victimizing theater,” added Santiago Abascal. «He has played with the feelings and empathy of all the people who suffer persecution from the extreme right. His appearance is a smokescreen,” lamented Pere Aragonès.
Sánchez has used his family, his party, his partners in the Government and legislature and even the King
In the midst of the cascade of reactions, Pablo Iglesias issued him a warning: “Making a move like this and keeping the country in suspense by basically not saying anything can backfire.” In reality, using his family, his party, his partners in the Government and legislature and even the King has already begun to backfire in seven aspects.
First. Sánchez’s threat to resign has been the final blow to his credibility, which was already the president’s true Achilles heel (and not Begoña Gómez). The leader who promised to bring Carles Puigdemont back to Spain to be tried, to fully comply with the sentences for those convicted of the process, to recover the crime of calling an illegal referendum and not to grant amnesty to the independentists has added one more lie to his list .
Second. The victims of his scheme have been, above all, his socialist colleagues. Beyond the apparent joy at the return of the prodigal president, in the PSOE there is a groundswell due to the extreme situation to which its general secretary has taken them. Furthermore, this episode has opened a door in the PSOE that until Wednesday was firmly closed: that of Sánchez’s succession. In the party they have begun to think and talk about it, forced by the situation.
María Jesús Montero, on Saturday in Ferraz – EFE
Third. Sánchez’s reality remains the same, but worse. Because to the parliamentary precariousness of his Government, the absence of the 2024 Budget, the total dependence on Puigdemont and the doubts about the application of the amnesty law, the anger of the rest of the parties and the expectations created are now added. The general secretary of Junts, Jordi Turull, defined it as “electoral tactics” and “serious irresponsibility.” The PNV spokesperson in Congress, Aitor Esteban, stated that it was not “necessary.” Sumar urged him to reform the Citizen Security Law. We can change the system of election of CGPJ members. And Bildu’s spokesperson in Congress, Mertxe Aizpurua, warned him: “We expect actions and not just words. The moment is now”.
Room. The “social mobilization” that Sánchez thanked in his speech has been far from being massive. And this despite the calls of his party at a critical moment – they said – for Spanish democracy. Between 10,000 and 12,000 socialist militants and sympathizers attended the rally in Ferraz on Saturday, although the party had chartered dozens of buses from all over Spain. That afternoon, almost 65,000 fans gathered at the Atlético de Madrid field to watch the match against Athletic Bilbao.
For it to be a critical moment for democracy, the left demonstrated little power to convene in the streets
On Sunday, the left tried again with a demonstration between Atocha and Congress that brought together just over 5,000 people. It does not seem that this operation is going to change the electoral prospects of the PSOE in the European elections, the first at a national level after the general elections last July. These elections will be the definitive thermometer.
Fifth. In his speech, the president put on the bandage before the wound got bigger. «My wife and I know that this smear campaign will not stop. We have been suffering from it for ten years. It is serious, but it is not the most relevant thing. “We can handle it.” After the “grossness”, in Feijóo’s words, both he and Abascal made it clear that they are not going to give up asking Sánchez for explanations. On the contrary. The chances that the PP will end up calling the president to testify to the Senate investigation commission are greater today than last week.
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, during the press conference this Monday – EFE
Sixth. The angry reaction of Sánchez, his Government, his party and his partners to the opening of preliminary proceedings by a Madrid investigating judge has put the Judiciary on the defensive. The judges know that they are the main objective of this “full point” announced by the leader of the Executive in Moncloa. And they will not remain silent, as they did not do when the PSOE agreed with the independence parties to investigate commissions in Congress to study alleged cases of lawfare. Furthermore, they have a powerful asset: the legislature depends on the application of the amnesty and this, in turn, on the judges.
This Monday, Minister Óscar Puente was the most explicit. “It is indisputable that there is a spurious use of criminal action, of criminal jurisdiction,” he said. Although the socialists’ argument faltered when, in the afternoon, the judge of the National Court Ismael Moreno refused to summon Begoña Gómez as a witness in the PSOE case. To start with, a reform of the Criminal Procedure Law is coming – already confirmed by the Executive – to remove instruction from judges and give it to prosecutors; and a probable forced renewal of the CGPJ. In addition, Yolanda Díaz also focused yesterday on the Citizen Security Law, which the left calls the “gag law.”
Seventh. Sánchez’s threat to resign has been echoed in the international press. To begin with, last Wednesday the main newspapers reported that the Spanish president was opening a period of reflection due to the corruption accusations against his wife. The newspapers did not talk about a harassment campaign or anything similar. From the beginning, Moncloa lost control of the story outside. This Monday, that same press reported with disbelief the alleged coup d’état. The Washington Post even called it a “soap opera.” And they know firsthand what Trumpism is.
The entry Pedro Sánchez pays the first consequences of his massive deception was first published in EL NACIONAL.