As he “thought,” leaving the country in suspense and accusing his political enemies of slander that had brought him to the brink of resignation, thousands gathered in the streets to show their support. He finally announced his decision after a meeting full of omens with King Felipe VI.
The climax was ultimately disappointing: he said he would stay.
In a national speech, the 52-year-old, a member of the center-left Socialist Party, took the opportunity to reflect on a political reality that is now the norm far beyond Spain. Americans in particular can relate to it: the bitter polarization between right and left that has led to a total breakdown of civility; the decadence of the discourse to the point that it has become what he calls a “perversion of democracy”. He asked: “Is this what we want for Spain?
“My wife and I know this won’t stop,” he said, adding that they were grateful for the support in recent days that he said helped him make a decision. “I decided to stay, to continue with greater strength even at the head of the Spanish government.”
Sánchez called for collective reflection: “We must decide what type of society we want to be. » He added: “I call on Spanish society to become an example, a source of inspiration for a convulsed and wounded world, because the evil we face is far from being exclusive to Spain. It is part of a global reactionary movement that aims to impose its regressive agenda through lies and defamation, hatred and fear. »
Sánchez is known for his risky political maneuvers. But recent days have reflected what analysts see as a new high in Spain’s political theater, even for him. It may have been a tactic to bring his disparate alliance of disparate parties into line in Parliament at a time when his increasingly weak government is unable to muster the votes needed to pass a budget. This alliance, which includes unruly Catalan separatists, is largely based on a common goal: the desire to prevent the rise of a conservative government that could also contain the far-right Vox party, a political force that is anathema for everyone.
Sánchez may have sent the smaller parties he relies on to govern a reminder that he is the only person standing between them and such a government. But in doing so, he may also have undermined his credibility with the nation.
“He has created serious uncertainty in the country without leading to a significant change, either in his political principles or in his parliamentary support,” said Pablo Simón, a political scientist and professor at the Carlos III University of Madrid. “It’s very counterproductive and quite irresponsible of him.”
Sánchez’s abrupt announcement of a period of reflection last week not only captivated Spain. European observers were abuzz with speculation that the Spaniard known as “Mr. Handsome” could be a contender to head the European Council, which represents the bloc’s leaders, or even a long-shot challenger. of the favorite to head NATO, the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.
His decision to stay provoked a predictable backlash from the political right, which intensified its opposition against the prime minister following his decision to support a law to provide amnesty to hundreds of Catalan separatists in a bid to consolidate his position in parliament. Santiago Abascal, leader of the Vox party, described Sánchez’s maneuver during a press conference as a “rude and indignant” attempt at “victimization.”
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the center-right opposition Popular Party (PP), initially denounced Sánchez’s decision last week as an act of “narcissism” and “infantilism” unthinkable “for a mature person “. He didn’t hesitate Monday after Sánchez’s announcement, saying that “this is not a comedy.” It’s a tragedy.
“Spain does not have a leader equal to its citizens,” he told reporters. “For this, I want to ask the Spaniards for forgiveness in the name of the political class and patience in the name of reason.”
Among politicians from smaller parties supporting the prime minister’s coalition in Parliament, reactions have been mixed. Some, like the Basque independence party EH Bildu, seem to support Sánchez’s decision to highlight incivility. But other partners were more critical.
“It is the last act of a comedy that lasted five days during which people’s feelings were played with and which ended with a performance in the form of a sermon, a sensationalist gesture without concrete proposals to combat the ultra-right”, declared Father Aragonès, head of the government of Catalonia.
Sánchez’s minority government will face critical tests in the coming months. His Socialists are poised to claim victory over separatist parties in next month’s Catalan local elections, which could lead at least one of them to withdraw support nationally.
In June, Sánchez faces key elections for the European Parliament in which the right is poised to make gains that could embarrass his government.
The drama that led to the announcement was sparked on Wednesday after it was announced that a Madrid investigating judge had opened a trial against Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, for alleged corruption and influence peddling. . The investigation was triggered by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an organization linked to the far right which filed a complaint based on information published largely in the conservative press.
These reports claimed that Gómez took advantage of her position as the prime minister’s wife to secure a bailout from Spanish airline Air Europa. However, business rescue plans during the pandemic have been comparable to those in Spain. Spanish media reported that neither Gómez nor the public prosecutor’s office had been informed of the investigation and that only the media’s editors-in-chief had been called to testify.
Later that day, in an unprecedented move, Sánchez published “a letter to citizens” on social media, calling the matter a “harassment” operation “to try to bring me down both politically and personally, by attacking my wife.” Sánchez accused the leaders of the PP and Vox of involvement.
In addition to the charges against his wife, Sánchez’s government also faces an investigation into an alleged scheme by an aide to the former transport minister to collect illegal commissions on medical contracts during the pandemic.
Sánchez, an economist by training, has led the Socialist Party since 2014 and was the first Spanish politician to expel a sitting prime minister through a vote of no confidence in 2018. He has become one of the continent’s leading liberals. His threat to leave comes at a time when Europe’s left has suffered defeats in Portugal and the Netherlands and the far right and center-right are poised for major victories in June’s European parliamentary elections. .
During his two terms, he focused on gender equality, raising the minimum wage through law, strengthening workers’ rights, and protecting LGBTQ and women’s rights. Some of these efforts – particularly a transgender law that allows people as young as 16 to legally change the sex on their national ID card without medical supervision – have sparked a backlash, including within its own party.
