Alberto Núñez Feijóo called yesterday for his party's candidates in the May 28 elections to work "as if we were one vote away from the majority". "Nothing should be taken for granted - he added -; everything is to be done.” The leader of the PP said, in the meeting of the national board of directors, the highest body of the party between congresses, that he has not taken the reins of the formation to "manage downward expectations", nor to set easy goals.
Feijóo imposed a challenge on himself and made a commitment to the municipal and regional candidates. He assured that he will participate daily in the electoral campaign: "I will tour Spain with you and I will be co-responsible for the result in all the municipalities and in all the autonomous regions. I can't aspire to a fair pass", he stressed.
The populists hope to be able to keep power in Madrid, Murcia and Ceuta, where they now rule and elections are held in May. Galicia, Andalusia and Castilla y León also have a government presided over by the PP, but there are no autonomous elections now, although there are municipal elections. In addition, the PP aspires to recover the Balearic Islands and, above all, Valencia, despite the fact that this last place will not be easy.
The popular people have good electoral expectations, according to most polls, but they recognize that the PSOE is strong in some places, more so than a few months ago, when the upward trajectory of the new popular party led by Feijóo seemed unstoppable. The impulse is no longer the same.
But Feijóo is clear about his starting point: "We haven't won an election in a national call for seven years." His expectation is to reverse this situation, "increase in votes that translate into having more mayors and more autonomous communities". With this, added Feijóo, they will succeed in "returning to the PP the pride of being the first political force in Spain".
The popular leader is aware that a bad result in the May elections would mean a setback in his race to Moncloa, which will be clarified in the general elections in December. "It will be the first step - he affirmed - to offer Spain a better government".
Feijóo needs loose majorities, large enough not to depend on other parties, and especially Vox, who he did not mention. Hence his call not to take anything for granted. Governing is not enough, you have to win and do it clearly.
At this point he referred to the strategic alliance of the PSOE with Sumar. Like the Socialist Party, "I could try to help other parties to see if the sum of the votes of these others with ours conceals a defeat at the polls, but, as you understand, I will never work to facilitate votes for other parties in to the detriment of ours".
Feijóo insists that he is not Sánchez, who "has already recognized his defeat" admitting that he will not be able to govern without the alliance with other forces. The leader of the PP aspires to be able to govern without strings attached, because "most of the problems have to do with governments backed by small, precarious and unstable minorities".
