It happened at 12:30 in the morning in the Congress of Deputies on October 30, 2016. That was the founding moment, an hour and a half before registration closed. We had written to each other only a few hours before. And then we were just friends. When she announced it at a press conference, I remember telling my wife: this is new. What did I see? To a president. Only he was the leader of the opposition, he resigned and left. That was the first moment.
My mom has always taught me that when you have to be with a person it is not when they are successful, but when they are having a hard time. Sánchez resigned as a deputy out of conviction that day. Him being left with nothing. He left the seat to become a “grassroots militant.” So as not to go against his party and make Mariano Rajoy president. That's how it happened. Without theaters. Without posturing. Pure authenticity. He would not be in politics at any cost.
Many had to go to the history books in 2016, as is happening again now, to remember someone resigning. And the reference was always one: the first president, Adolfo Suárez. That farewell in 1981, the year I was born, in that iconic appearance on television when Suárez says that his departure is more beneficial for Spain than his stay. Both Pedro and he share a management of the Head of Government that calmly accepts both criticism and the useless global disqualification, viscerality and personal attack. I give more than faith. Sánchez is a person of strong principles and convictions.
After his resignation in Congress, victory would come in the party's primaries in 2017; the first winning motion of no confidence in democracy in 2018; the different electoral victories of 2019; the first progressive coalition government in 90 years and the greatest calamity in 100 years such as covid-19; so that later other colleagues would take the baton and build on what was achieved, not without difficulties. There was a volcano, prices were out of control and the Ukrainian war happened.
The second moment occurred when the 23-J elections were called on May 29, 2023. There it was again. After the poor results of the municipal and regional elections of 28-M, taking a step forward. Showing himself as he is to those of us who know him, without armor, bold and determined. They are not easy decisions, but rather crossroads that a president finds himself in the Moncloa palace. Sánchez is a brave person who knows that there are times in life when one has to take responsibility for it. And he did what the automatism of today's politics would not do, because he thinks reptilianly.
The third moment was last Wednesday after reading the letter to the citizens that he wrote in his own handwriting. There was humanity, fragility and pain in her. The president once again took risks that go beyond any possibility of tactics. And what do you want me to tell you: only from a conception of politics as the occupation of power at any price can we understand some destructive attitudes and responses to such a sincere and human exercise. Pedro was not born a politician, but a person. Like the rest of his lordships, he is a father, husband, brother or son. And it's not just about them, but about all of us and our ideals. From the country we want and deserve to be. The goal of politics is to improve society. And to achieve this, limits must be placed on the way of doing politics.
