The leader of the Popular Party (PP) and candidate for the Presidency of the Government, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has defended that, facing the general elections on November 29, Vox should consider not running for the Senate in those provinces where it cannot win a seat, and that the popular party should reciprocate this gesture, within the framework of the conversations both formations are holding to explore a formula that prevents "sanchismo" from controlling the Upper House.
In an interview on Cadena SER, Feijóo stated that "it would be logical for Vox in those provinces where it will not obtain a senator to consider the possibility of not running, and for the Popular Party to reciprocate that gesture." The popular leader framed this possibility within a strategy to make non-sanchista votes profitable and convert them into seats in the Senate.
The deadline to submit lists expires on November 26, so negotiations remain open, after PSOE and Broad Front closed a coalition agreement in the Upper House to prevent the absolute majority that the Popular Group has maintained during this legislature.
Feijóo admits contacts with Santiago Abascal
The president of the PP has acknowledged that he cannot offer any "truthful and definitive information" at this moment about the conversations, because both formations continue to talk. In fact, he explained that with the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, he has "talked about this" and specified that the last time they discussed this matter was last Wednesday.
As he detailed, the conversations focus on Vox "not running in certain provinces and making some specific pact in some of them," although he insisted that "it is not closed." "Yes, I confirm that there are conversations for this, but in the same way, I also confirm that nothing is closed," he added.
A pact conditioned on Vox's decision
Feijóo stressed that any agreement in the Senate will depend on "Vox's will, if it wants to renounce running in provinces where it does not have a senator." In his opinion, if that renunciation were to occur, "a pact can be reached," because the objective is "to find a solution to make non-sanchista votes profitable and for that to translate into senators."
Asked if the PP is also considering not running in a couple of provinces as a gesture, Feijóo indicated that this information "is a bit outdated," although he admitted that it is an option that has been on the negotiation table.
"Why would you run where you won't have a senator?"
The leader of the PP also defended the criterion of not competing in those territories where there are no real possibilities of obtaining representation in the Upper House. "We have a principle which is: hey, why would you run in places where you won't have a senator, you'll give it to sanchismo," he said.
Feijóo added that "it is true" that, "exceptionally," his party "in some province has never had a senator," and insisted that he must be "reasonable with the principles" he tries to apply.
Criticism of the PSOE and Broad Front agreement
In the same interview, Feijóo rejected that the coalition agreement between the PSOE and Broad Front in the Senate is "progressive." As he denounced, the socialists have "23 summaries" and "131 defendants," a sum that, he said, exceeds "more than 1,400 years in prison."
"Do you believe that is progressive? No, man. That is not progressive, that is dishonest," exclaimed the president of the PP.