Sánchez, Feijóo meet for ‘dialogue of the deaf’ as political deadlock continues

Leaders from the Socialist Party (PSOE) and the centre-right Partido Popular (PP), the main opposition force, will discuss potential solutions to overcome the nation’s political deadlock.

It would probably be a meeting in the purest “Versailles” diplomatic tradition, marked by courtesy, good words, maximum politeness and respect of the protocol, but from which, in principle, neither a concrete outcome nor any “State” agreement is expected.

However, some newspapers, including El País, believe it will be a tough meeting between the two leaders, in which reproaches will be exchanged for the current political stalemate.

The government´s spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez on Tuesday accused Alberto Núñez Feijóo of wasting citizens’ time with a round of contacts, including the presidents of all Spanish regions, that the PP leader knows already will fail, EFE reported.

“Why waste the Spaniards’ time then?” asked Rodríguez.  “It’s going to be a failed investiture”, a “paripé (a “simulation”, in the Caló language, of the Spanish gipsies) because of all the folklore that is going on around it”, she insisted.

The spokeswoman stressed that the government wants to forge as soon as possible a progressive government – of the PSOE and the left-wing Sumar – that responds to what was expressed at the polls on 23 July.

The “courtesy” meeting between the two leaders will occur Wednesday at 10 AM in Parliament. But although the media expectation will be high, likely, the poor outcome and conclusions will not make the headlines.

PP should refrain from ‘daily insults’ to PSOE

PSOE sources expressed on Wednesday the hope that after the meeting between the two leaders, a “more constructive path for the country and the Spanish people” will be adopted and that the PP will abandon “the daily insults” against the progressive party.

“It is not impossible” to form a majority, sources in the PP insisted last week, although they admitted it was “complicated”.

If neither of the two candidates obtains the necessary support, Spain would probably have to hold new elections on 14 January 2024.

New delay for Sánchez´s appearance before the EP 

Meanwhile, Spanish official sources confirmed on Tuesday that Sánchez will delay his appearance before the European Parliament to explain the priorities of the Spanish presidency of the EU Council, which was initially scheduled for September.

The prime minister and socialist leader will wait until Núñez Feijóo’s investiture debate, scheduled for 26 September, said the same sources, without providing a new date.

This is the second delay of Sánchez’s appearance. The European Parliament agreed last June to postpone his speech before the EP, initially scheduled for 13 July, to avoid it coinciding with the campaign for the Spanish general election, held on 23 July.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.EURACTIV.es)

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