Feijóo blames Sánchez for the train accidents: "His government will be held accountable."

MadridPedro Sánchez and Alberto Núñez Feijóo clashed in the Congress of Deputies over the train accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida. The Spanish president addressed the lower house more than three weeks after the double fatal crash, which left 47 victims and triggered a Unprecedented rail chaos in CataloniaUntil now, the one who had given explanations, both in Congress and in the Senate, had been the Minister of Transport, Óscar PuenteAs the minister had already done, Sánchez maintained that the Adamuz railway line had "scrupulously" complied with all maintenance controls before the accident, although he acknowledged that protocols "are not infallible" and that quality standards must be "expanded and improved." Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in a very harsh speech, targeted the Spanish president: "They played Russian roulette with our safety. This was an avoidable accident, not an unforeseeable catastrophe," the PP leader declared. He even threatened Sánchez with being tried for the railway accidents: "Instruct your lawyers to look into everything because they'll need it. Your government will be in the dock for this too."

Right from the start, the Spanish president pledged to "rigorously investigate" the causes of the accident, "report transparently" on what is discovered, "take the necessary measures" to prevent accidents from happening again, and, if necessary, "do justice." In contrast to the ongoing tension with Carlos Mazón following the DANA stormSánchez praised the role of the Andalusian Regional Government, led by Juanma Moreno Bonilla of the People's Party, and emphasized that the "close cooperation and coordination" between all levels of government allowed for a "rapid and organized response" and "helped save lives." He also made an appeal, directed especially to the People's Party and Vox, to "not speculate, not spread misinformation, and not use the tragedy to incite tension."

However, despite acknowledging the tragedy, he emphasized that Spain has a vast network of railway lines—saying that if they were laid straight, they would connect the North and South Poles—and that incidents and speed reductions due to maintenance or storms are "inevitable." "These are not anomalies or malfunctions; it's part of the normal operation of a complex system," he asserted. Furthermore, he claimed that accidents have decreased by up to 11 percent during his administration compared to Mariano Rajoy's term. In this regard, he touted his government's investment in the railway network and explained the new measures resulting from the agreement reached with the unions this week. to call off the train strikeAnd he emphasized that if the Railway Accident Investigation Commission (CIAF) concludes that further measures are necessary, they will be taken.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo was not convinced by Pedro Sánchez's speech. "They should have come to apologize and accept the consequences," he reproached him. The PP leader believes his speech was a "profound and planned deception" for mixing the data he presented: "You have to be made of different stuff to create this hodgepodge and not get upset." And he demanded that Puente and Sánchez resign: "You warned everyone and it didn't matter to you, you're both narcissists. On the very day of the funeral, your minister said he had done a great job and you chirped about Elon Musk." Feijóo also addressed his investiture partners: "What has to happen for this government to feel responsible for anything and for its partners to demand it?" he asked first. Later, regarding the "negligence" he attributes to the Spanish government, he urged his allies to withdraw their support. He reproached Bildu, saying that the focus should be on the "victims of gunfire and explosives," alluding to ETA's prisoner policy; he ironically referred to Gabriel Rufián, asserting that he hopes his "Spanish left-wing project lasts longer than the Catalan republic"; while he urged Junts to explain to its voters why it supports a government that is "responsible" for the railway chaos in Catalonia.

International summits

Tuesday's appearance, which is also the first by the head of the executive branch before the lower house this year, will not focus solely on train accidents. Sánchez has decided to take the opportunity to also report on the recent international meetings he has attended. And inevitably, the results of the elections in Extremadura and Aragon, which –despite the PSOE's poor results– the Spanish government clings to in order to attack the PP, which it accuses of being giving wings to the far-right Vox.