No one can say that there is a lack of political legitimacy in the agreement reached between the Spanish Socialists (PSOE) and the Basque independentists EH Bildu to support the motion of no-confidence in the mayor of Pamplona and thus allow the Basque party to take control of the Navarrese capital's government, especially now that the Popular Party's attitude at the start of this legislature in the Congress of Deputies has been seen. Alberto Núñez Feijóo's party has opted for a scorched earth policy against the independentists, demonstrating against them in the streets of the main Spanish cities and presenting Pedro Sánchez as a traitor and a sell-out. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Socialists have returned the favour of the investiture votes to Bildu, by giving them a mayoralty that is fundamental for them. Another thing altogether is that it was only widely known at the last minute and that the Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN), the sister party of the People's Party (PP) in Navarra, is thus dragging its grief through the streets of the Navarrese kingdom.
Feijóo did not hesitate to take to the streets in Pamplona this Sunday in protest at the eviction of his allies, as a part of the campaign which presents the Spanish prime minister as a politician who makes agreements with those that the PP defines as enemies of Spain instead of seeking agreements with the PP itself. As an example of the generosity of the PP with its governing pacts after the last municipal elections, he highlighted the accord made in the city of Barcelona, where the three councillors of the Spanish conservative party supported the Socialist candidate and now mayor, Jaume Collboni, rather than allow the winner of those elections, Xavier Trias, to become mayor. Certainly, Feijóo achieved his goal - yes, by mixing his votes with those of Ada Colau's Barcelona en Comú - and thus preventing Trias from being mayor. But he also demonstrated one thing: that the Spain that he represents was incapable of turning the page on the collision that occurred in 2017 and that, as long as that was the case, the label of loser and politician incapable of forging agreements would haunt him.
The PP is being dragged by Vox towards an extremism where it will be increasingly difficult for parties like the PNV or Junts to reach substantial agreements with them
Feijóo did not think about Barcelona and, no matter how much he repeats it, he did not think about Spain either. He thought about himself. About that embittered, monochromatic Spain, unable to see that the Basque Country and Navarra have, like Catalonia, entered a new phase and that the pacts of the Transition are no longer valid in this new cycle. But, in addition, politics is based on that: on agreements between different people. And the PP is being dragged by Vox towards an extremism where it will be increasingly difficult, if things do not change, for parties like the Basque Nationalists (PNV) or Together for Catalonia (Junts) to reach substantial agreements with them. How is the PP going to explain in Catalonia that it has ended up giving in and accepting from Vox, among other measures, the allocation of 20 million euros to dismantle the Catalan-language-based schooling system? It's something you can explain to your own supporters - and not to all to them - but to those who you may need, surely not. What world does Feijóo live in? Who advises him?
The leader of the PP gave Barcelona to his opponents, thinking that he would obtain electoral benefits. It was not an act of coherence. In any case, it was negligence, as he may have already realized. Trias was not his adversary, as he had been warned. And now one of these two things will happen in Barcelona, which for one reason or another unnerves the PP: Collboni (10 councillors) will either reach a deal with the BComú of Ada Colau (10) and the Republican Left (5), or with the councillors of Xavier Trias (11). The PP does not enter into any of the equations and its only role is to hinder agreements. To destroy and not to build. Three quarters of the same thing has happened in Pamplona. And, at this rate, its alliances outside of Vox will end up being impossible. And, thus, its years of opposition will be many more.