Mazón and Feijóo: the PP's blockade

A year has passed since the devastating floods, and President Mazón is still trying to figure out what to do. What world does he live in? A year has passed, and he still hasn't grasped why his behavior is generating so much outrage? And Feijóo, the PP president, is only now beginning to consider that perhaps he should give him a shove. Something that, out of decency, should have been done from the very beginning. Power seems to breed insensitivity. All Mazón gets from the public outcry is that he needs to retreat and reflect. How long will it take him to make the only decent gesture that the facts demanded from the outset: to back down, apologize, and leave the scene? He's a walking political corpse. He has no credibility whatsoever, due to his negligence, his irresponsibility, and above all, his inability to understand that his behavior discredited him forever. When a leader digs in his heels and loses all touch with reality, the responsibility shifts to the party. Organizational structures don't exist for no reason. It is part of the responsibility of those in charge when someone becomes trapped in an ego that prevents them from perceiving reality. Feijóo has been unable to make him back down. And we have witnessed one of the most miserable spectacles in Spanish politics: a president entrenched in himself and incapable of connecting with a citizenry touched by tragedy.

It is difficult to understand how anyone can aspire to govern while being so far removed from reality and from the people. Even President Aznar raised his voice to acknowledge that this situation was unsustainable. It is sad that it takes so long for people to begin to accept what was obvious from the very beginning.

But this episode is also an indication of the PP's bewilderment, which has made noise its only political strategy against the government, and whose inability to take significant steps forward is leaving Vox a path to growth that is beginning to be undermined. Abascal is increasingly breathing down his neck, and Feijóo remains committed to his method: letting noise drown out ideas, proposals, and projects.

While Mazón ponders, the PP has orchestrated a noisy but poorly executed operation to corner Pedro Sánchez in the Senate. A barrage of scattered and confusing accusations (noise always taking precedence over truth) was hurled at the president by second-tier voices, allowing Sánchez to leave happier than when he arrived. It has long been evident that Feijóo and his team either have no plans or are unwilling to explain any projects, nor have they managed to construct an innovative profile capable of attracting voters at this difficult time. The PP is caught between the question of when Mazón will back down and when they will force their way alongside Feijóo if they intend to win an election based on their own platform, and not just by demonizing the opponent. It's a strategy tinged with insecurity that, while aiming to stifle the adversary, actually gives them breathing room.