Election debate with two main parties fails to dim PP support

Conservative leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo was seen by commentators on all sides as the winner of the televised duel with Pedro Sánchez on Monday

SUR

MALAGA.

Friday, 14 July 2023, 15:33

With just over a week to go to Spain's general election on Sunday, 23 July, television debates between the parties have been held this week.

Voters had the chance to find out more about the candidates' programmes ahead of making their decision. On Monday it was the turn of current prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, also the leader of the PSOE Socialist party, and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative Partido Popular (PP) party, to go head to head in a one-to-one debate.

It was the only televised duel between the two men in this campaign as the PP will not take part in a debate between PSOE, Vox and Sumar leaders next week, claiming more of the smaller nationalist parties should join in.

Commentators on all sides agreed the PP's Núñez Feijóo had got the better of Sánchez in Monday night's heated exchanges. The PP leader attacked the current PM over the controversial reforms to the sexual abuse law that had seen over 1,000 sentences of abusers reduced. He also heavily criticised Sánchez over previous pacts with Basque separatist party EH Bildu, seen as having historic links to ETA terrorism.

Fighting back, Sánchez again warned the electorate on Monday that the PP could be ready to pact with far-right Vox in order to govern. The PP is still well ahead in the opinion polls but would need the support or abstention of Vox to have a majority to govern after the election.

Last night a debate was also held between the parliamentary spokespeople of the eight biggest parties.

Top 50

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia