Feijóo ignores Ayuso and opts for indirect primaries

BarcelonaThe PP's statutory proposal has caused an internal headache over the method of electing the leader, because a section of the PP, specifically the hardline wing led by the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, demanded establishing pure primaries, those of "one member, one vote." But Alberto Nuñez Feijóo has decided to ignore this and has opted for a mixed formula, indirect primaries, pending any amendments that the members may present. Thus, he has also ignored the voices that, like Ayuso, called for more internal democracy, such as the leader of the Catalan PP, Alejandro Fernández, and also Former Madrid regional president Esperanza AguirreUntil now, there was a two-round election: first, the members chose their preferred candidate and then, in the second round, a series of delegates (representatives) chosen by the rank and file made the final decision. The current leader of the PP has finally imposed a mixed formula between the two systems. vital to leaders he trusts the most: the presidents of Murcia and Extremadura, Fernando López Miras and María Guardiola; Daniel Sirera; and the mayor of Santander, Gema Igual.

Now, the candidate for the PP presidency must present at least 500 endorsements, which must come from 25 provinces with at least 15 endorsers in each one, while previously only 100 were required, collected throughout Spain. This raises the bar for being able to present themselves, makes the apparatus much more secure, and allows for the avoidance of candidates rooted in a single region or candidates outside the structure, as is the case of the rebel businessman José Luis Bayo, who tried to confront Feijóo again –although she has already decided to withdraw–. The most significant step has been the elimination of the "double ballot box." Members will now elect their delegates at the same time as their candidate, because these representatives will be aligned with a leader and a closed list proposal to lead the party. In other words, members will know which candidate the delegate they choose is committed to. This, among other things, will allow the leadership to have much greater control over the preparation of the candidacies and, at the same time, will avoid situations like those experienced at the July 2018 congress. In the first round, members chose Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, but in the second, when they were voting for the delegates, Pablo Casado won, because Pablo Casado won.

The proposal also stipulates that any member can vote to elect the president without having to register to participate in the election, as is currently the case. "More participation," "more representativeness," and a "simpler and fairer" system are some of the concepts that López Miras and Guardiola mentioned in support of the changes.

The Spanish flag flies at all the match events.

The statutory report does not address the ideological issues, which are reflected in another document that was made public on Monday and which toughens immigration policies. But it points to elements such as the requirement, from now on, that the Spanish flag be displayed at all significant "national" party events, or the creation of councils with "sensitivity" in areas such as immigration. Sirera commented on the push for the council of immigrants residing in Spain, which will be called the "Council of New Spaniards" with the aim of "giving a voice and helping the participation in public life of the many people who have come from other parts of the world, especially from Latin America, who come to Spain in search of freedom, rights, and a better future."

They are also drafting a party code of ethics that aims to strengthen "the accountability of public officials" with a compliance office overseeing them to ensure that "whoever does it, pays." Precisely, this code of ethics has led the speakers to ironically state that "no one in Sánchez's entourage" could join the party because they are violating it—due to the ongoing legal proceedings—not even the Spanish president himself. To "coordinate" policies and forge a "common policy," the report also creates a council of regional presidents so they can meet every three months and share strategies.