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The resurgent Spanish center-right opposition leader has said he wants to form a “national salvation government” to carry out far-reaching reforms, including tax cuts in the three months following the inauguration of the charge.
Pablo Casado, whose People’s Party (PP) is very much in view of opinion polls, told the Financial Times that if he won the elections scheduled for the end of 2023, he would recruit outside figures to push for fiscal reforms and labor market changes. a simplification of the decentralized system of government of Spain.
In an interview in which he highlighted what he represented as the PP’s rebound from near-death, he tried to downplay factors such as his past problems with corruption and the possible future dependence of the right-wing Vox.
“When we take office, we need a government. . . practically of national salvation, “said the 40-year-old. Referring to the Italian administration formed by Mario Draghi this year, he added:” We need people with a lot of experience, including internationally and with different political orientations; not only conservatives, liberals and Christian Democrats, but also former Social Democrats. . . A government like the one in Italy, but democratically elected ”.
Although the Spanish parliament has more than two years left in its term, the socialist-radical left coalition of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has no majority and has been weakened by the overwhelming victory of the PP in Madridthe regional elections this month. Since then, the center-right party has led national opinion polls.
Some polls suggest that the PP and Vox would control the majority in the Spanish parliament after the next elections, a major change after three years in which Casado’s party constantly followed the Socialists.
Casado argues that the Spanish Covid-19 landscape will bolster its possibilities: “Crises strengthen governments, even if they handle things badly,” he said. “The aftermath weakens them, even if they handle things well.”
It is a dramatic change for a man who planned to leave politics when he was the PP kicked out of power in 2018 amid a corruption scandal. Casado said he had interviewed a job at a multinational in Paris, only to throw his hat in the ring when his party held a leadership election earlier than expected. Even after his unexpected victory over more experienced candidates, the prospects of the party seemed poor.
“I had a dead game, it was the third in all the polls,” he said. “He was escaping.”
His priority initially had been to prevent the centrist Ciudadanos party from overtaking the PP (he achieved this with just 218,000 votes in the April 2019 country elections) and then reunite the fragmented right of the country, he said.
“Even my own party said,‘ Casado is obsessed, he should stop trying to unify the center right and go after Sanchez, ’” he said. “But I was clear, with three [parties on the right] it was impossible to win “.
This task is partially complete, with the vote of Citizens collapsed in the last election. Casado said he was now focusing on presenting practical proposals to the Spanish electorate instead of agreeing with other parties.
“It simply came to our notice then [in power] and approve all reforms in three months, ”he said, listing plans to reduce income and corporation tax, abolish inheritance taxes, reform severance pay to improve labor market flexibility, and adjust the labor system. Spanish regional government.
But polls show a PP government would need the support of Vox MPs to form an administration.
“My intention is to govern alone,” Casado said. “The PP is not part of a bloc with Vox. . . he can govern if he has only one seat more than Sanchez. ”
He did not answer yes or no when asked Vox it was a democratic party. The right-wing group has described the Sánchez government as the worst in 80 years, indicating its preference for the fascist regime of Francisco Franco in 1939-75.
Casado said that behind this were the corruption scandals that helped bring about the expulsion of the PP from power three years ago. “If the party made me a leader, it was to break with that past,” he said.
But there are still several court cases pending, including one investigating whether PP interior ministry officials used police to illegally confiscate evidence of corruption. This year, Casado put the party headquarters up for sale amid an ongoing corruption case focused on funding his reform more than a decade ago.
Asked if he believed former PP prime minister Mariano Rajoy knew about “black accounts” operated by a former party Treasurer, said: “In the end, what we have decided is not to talk about this issue anymore,” and noted that the issue was before the courts.
Meanwhile, the allegations have disappeared into the political background. The PP can also get dividends from a public backlash against the long-awaited Sanchez government pardoning of imprisoned Catalan separatists.
But Casado faces major hurdles. Unless Sanchez calls early elections, parliament is unlikely to dissolve before his 2023 term ends.
The Sanchez administration is waiting for the EU coronavirus recovery fund – specifically, 70 billion euros in subsidies in Spain over the next three years – will help foster economic recovery and boost their fortunes.
Carmen Calvo, Socialist deputy prime minister, also said Casado is eclipsed Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the sincere leader of the regional PP who won the Madrid elections and would be unable to replicate his success.
Casado himself defends himself from the suggestions that his impetus owes to the Madrid result, which he said was not “the cause, but the consequence” of improving his party’s position.
“There is a clear change in the Spanish political cycle and we are ready for the government,” he said. “I don’t know if it will be in the next twelve months, but I think it will be soon.”
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