Feijóo promises to lower income tax and rebuild Valencia after the DANA while attacking Sánchez: "Spain needs a servant and not an impostor obsessed with power"

Alberto Núñez Feijóo on Friday turned the Palau de les Arts in Valencia into another stage of his offensive against Pedro Sánchez and the presentation of María José Catalá as head of the list for Congress. Before some 1,500 people, the president of the PP combined accusations of corruption with promises of tax cuts, housing, and investments for Valencian reconstruction. "Spain needs a servant and not an impostor who lives obsessed with power," he affirmed, before asking his supporters to mobilize tirelessly until the general elections on November 29.

The popular candidate used Sánchez's claim to be "left-handed", in response to Javier Milei, to launch one of the most celebrated attacks by his party. "It must be because his two right-hand men have already been to jail," he said, referring to José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán. He also brandished a PP count of 17 case files, 131 investigated officials, and 23 types of crimes, with a sum of possible sentences of 2,401 years. These are figures presented by the popular party on different procedures, whose responsibilities and eventual convictions are to be determined by the courts.

Feijóo promised that his first Council of Ministers would approve "a comprehensive audit of spending" during the years of socialist government to find out "how much money they have stolen and how much money they have wasted". He accompanied that announcement with a commitment to reduce ministries, high-ranking officials, and advisors, and again demanded explanations about Leire Díez and the financing of the primaries that returned Sánchez to the General Secretariat of the PSOE.

The leader of the PP extended his reproaches to the Executive's feminism, which he questioned over cases of harassment, victim protection bracelets, and reduced sentences for sexual aggressors. "Not half a lesson about anything, and even less about feminism," he launched. The speech linked these accusations with a call to change the Government, which he blamed for the deterioration of public services and the rising cost of living.

The promise about the minimum wage comes after the IRPF controversy

The main economic proposal of the rally was a reduction of the IRPF for 2027. Feijóo defended that inflation is reducing purchasing power and promised to automatically link the tax-free threshold to minimum wage increases. "Whoever earns the minimum wage will not pay income tax, by law," he assured. His approach seeks to make permanent the fiscal adjustment that accompanies these salary increases.

The announcement came hours after his interview on 'Cadena SER', where his statements about the taxation of the minimum wage had caused a new controversy. The 2026 regulation already contemplates a deduction of 590.89 euros for employment income of up to 17,094 euros annually, with legally established requirements, designed to avoid an effective IRPF quota for those who earn the SMI. There may be retentions that are recovered in the declaration. The automatic update proposal must be distinguished from this mechanism, which is already in force.

Feijóo added the commitment to promote the construction of one million homes and reduce taxes for young people to facilitate their purchase. "On 29N we also vote for a new generation of owners," he stated. Property once again occupied the center of his offer for a generation with difficulties in accessing housing, along with the promise that working allows gaining purchasing power.

Catalá will maintain the Mayoralty of Valencia and Feijóo renews his promises for Valencia

In the Valencian area, Feijóo renewed his commitment to the Valencia Plan of 12,000 million euros, announced in January 2025 for a period of ten years, and with two railway demands of the capital, the through tunnel and the burying of the Serrería tracks. He also congratulated the president of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, for the response to the recent dana Adam. The support for his management came without yet confirming his candidacy for the regional elections of May 2027.

Pérez Llorca again accused the central Government of having left the Generalitat "alone" after the DANA. The state reconstruction balance, however, includes 1,745 million euros already paid to 78 local entities to repair municipal infrastructures, in addition to other aid and actions. This data allows separating the discussion about sufficiency, deadlines and pending works from a total absence of state contributions. Catalá, for her part, demanded protection against floods, improvements in Cercanías, local financing and the connection of the Turia garden with the maritime facade.

The mayor debuted her candidacy for Congress making clear her intention to maintain the City Council. "I am going to continue being mayor of Valencia and, if you want, I am going to continue being mayor in May 2027", she affirmed. Her designation brings forward the confrontation with Pilar Bernabé, socialist candidate for Congress and aspirant to the Mayor's Office, to the general elections. To combine both positions, Catalá will need an exception to the PP statutes, which restrict such accumulation in municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants. "You are going to be in the mayor's office making sure that commitment is fulfilled," Feijóo told her about the promised investments.

The event also brought together Esteban González Pons and served to support a provincial slate headed entirely by women, with Catalá for Valencia, councilor Elena Albalat for Castellón and Macarena Montesinos for Alicante. Vicent Mompó, provincial president of the PP and of the Provincial Council, committed to another large rally in the bullring of Valencia, which he promised to "burst" with attendees before 29N. Feijóo will gather this Sunday in Salamanca his top candidates from all over Spain.