The PP reaffirms its opposition to the motion of no confidence despite pressure from Junts

MadridFriday was in an auditorium with Catalan businesspeople and on Sunday in front of 40,000 people at the demonstration against Pedro Sánchez in MadridIn both instances, Alberto Núñez Feijóo pressured Junts and the PNV to agree to support a motion of no confidence that would trigger elections. However, despite these public appeals, the People's Party (PP) remains unmoved. They have no plans to open negotiations with Carles Puigdemont's party, nor do they intend to register the motion in Congress, which could bring the Socialist leader's time in La Moncloa to an end. The PP's second-in-command, Miguel Tellado, confirmed this Monday at a press conference in Génova that they will not make any moves and that, for the moment, their strategy is simply to criticize these parties for not having decided to oust the Spanish president despite the alleged corruption scandals. "The question [about the motion of no confidence] shouldn't be directed at us, but rather at the PNV and Junts, asking how much longer they will continue to tolerate this," Tellado said.

The PP maintains the same attitude as in recent months, which has not brought about any change in the situation. They have no shortage of "reasons" or "desire". But they lack the "votes"The Popular Party's general secretary insisted. The Catalan PP maintains the same position. The motion of no confidence "is not on the table" because Junts and the PNV have distanced themselves, stated the number two of the Catalan PP, Santi Rodríguez, also at a press conference. However, Vox, the other necessary piece for a motion of no confidence to succeed, is not convinced by Feijóo's justification and demands that he take action. The leader of the far-right party, Santiago Abascal, made this demand from Extremadura. In his opinion, the Popular Party president "is mistaken." Beyond the uncertain outcome that is holding the Popular Party leader back, Abascal argues that presenting the motion would serve "to expose" both Sánchez and the rest of the plurinational majority. Especially "those who say they have withdrawn their support but in reality have not," said the Vox president, referring to Junts.

For their part, the PSOE responded by accusing Feijóo of being inconsistent in his positions. "It's not normal to confront Catalonia every day and then go to the Catalan employers' association to hold a meeting to get them to soften their stance on Junts [...], it's not normal, it's the act of a fool," said the Socialist spokesperson, Montse Mínguez, at a press conference in Ferraz. According to the PSOE, Feijóo is acting out of "frustration" at not having been able to govern in 2023 and out of "an obsession" to try to "bring down" the Spanish president "by any means necessary" without "any proposals whatsoever." Sumar has also disparaged Feijóo, challenging him to present a motion of no confidence: "Let them dare to present it and explain what their project for the country is, if they even have one," said Sumar coordinator Lara Hernández, who added that Feijóo isn't presenting it because of the backlash it would suffer.

"The Sanchista Traviata"

Alongside the pressure being exerted on Sánchez's investiture allies, the People's Party (PP) continues its offensive against the Socialist Party (PSOE) over the alleged corruption cases plaguing the Spanish president. The day after the demonstration at the Temple of Debod, Tellado announced that on Wednesday, December 17—in the final stretch of the Extremadura election campaign—Santos Cerdán will have to reappear before the Senate's investigative committee regarding the Koldo case. His first appearance was in April 2024, more than a year ago. Although the former Socialist Secretary General can invoke his right to remain silent, the summons is yet another headache for Sánchez, who, since José Luis Ábalos's imprisonment, has to wake up every morning wondering what his other former deputy, also under investigation, will reveal to the media. However, despite the former minister's recent statements, the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz is downplaying the potential impact of Ábalos's testimony.

"Sanchismo is starting to sing both inside and outside of prison," said Tellado, who warned that the PP will do everything in its power to ensure that all of Spain hears "the Traviata" of Sánchez's former collaborators. The PSOE is downplaying the supposed revelations that Ábalos and his former advisor, Koldo García, might make from prison, and Cerdán after his provisional release. "We will not be blackmailed by anyone, and we are not going to waste another minute refuting falsehoods," said Mínguez on the same day that OK Daily An interview has been published in which Koldo claims that businessman Javier Hidalgo told him that Begoña Gómez, Sánchez's wife, "had to be compensated with one million [euros]" for the Air Europa bailout.

While the PSOE considers these statements "false" and Cerdán's appearance in the Senate a "circus"—Cerdán also stated this Monday that he will give explanations "when the time is right"—and Sumar is closing ranks with the majority partner in the Spanish government, other voices on the left are raising their voices. Compromís deputy in Congress Alberto Ibáñez demanded information from Sánchez and warned him that "they need to get their act together" because "their patience may run out." Podemos leader Irene Montero has also called for a stronger response. Sánchez, for his part, has maintained his schedule, seemingly unaffected by the controversy, with a meeting with the UGT leadership and several events in the afternoon, one of them attended by King Felipe VI.