Viewpoint

Cake and eat it for PM

Humphrey CarterPalma02/09/2020 03:11

Pedro Sánchez, has a two pronged approach to the current health and financial situation in Spain. Sánchez held an unusual public event on Monday night: Instead of organising a political rally attended by grassroots supporters, he marked the end of parliament’s summer recess with a speech given in the presence of the country’s top business leaders. His message was one of unity amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, and it was aimed squarely at the main opposition Partido Popular - and all of the big business players turned out.

“The government is choosing unity, not division, nor conflict, nor confrontation,” the prime minister said during his speech. “Spain must come to an understanding with Spain...” he added as he tries to build a solid case for a new budget for Spain - there has not been one approved since 2018 mainly due to divisions within his own coalition.

“This is the biggest challenge in a century,” he continued. “We can’t overcome it with half of Spain turning its back on the other half, or, what’s even worse, pitted against the other half. There is no such thing as a right-wing virus or a left-wing virus.”

All well and good, but when it comes tackling the spread of the virus, although he’s denied it, he’s blamed the regional governments. “It is the regions that have the capacity to manage the health emergency,” he said and his opponents accuse him of washing his hands of the crisis. He’s got 40 months left in power, he won’t make it.