Núñez Feijóo: "There is a hunger for change and they are waiting for us"

USPA NEWS - The president of the regional government of Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, was elected the new president of the conservative Popular Party (PP in its acronym in Spanish) with 98.35 percent of the valid votes of the delegates gathered in Seville at the XX National Congress of the party. Feijóo, the only candidate for the election, thus takes over the reins of the party to replace Pablo Casado, who resigned from the leadership of the formation after the serious internal crisis unleashed by his open confrontation with the president of the regional government of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

This Saturday, at the closing of the congress that elected him to lead the party for the next few years, with next year's legislative elections on the horizon, Núñez Feijóo stated that in Spain "there is a hunger for change and they are waiting for us" because the majority of Spaniards sees that “our country cannot continue along this same path for much longer.” The new leader of the opposition to the Socialist Government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his "hope in the possibilities of our country" and asked that "nobody try to make people believe that things cannot be changed". And he predicted: "We, Spaniards, will fix the situation in Spain all together."

Núñez Feijóo described the PP as the "best and only instrument to achieve the change that Spain needs" and advanced that this change will be "calm and profound" and will not "exclude any Spaniard because Spain can be loved in many ways." He defended that "Spain is not condemned to the fact that when there is a crisis we are the worst in dealing with it, nor to irrelevance, mistrust and international discredit."

He encouraged "not to settle for what there is" and "show the Spaniards that they do not have to resign themselves and that there is another way to govern," while stressing that the PP is "prepared and united" to offer the Spaniards "reliability, maturity, sense of State and a clear direction.” He assured that the PP is "desiring to win" but "not anxious to reach the goal in any way." And he explained that "we went out to win, not to wait for the government parties to lose."

According to the new conservative leader, while the PP is in opposition, “we will do everything possible so that Spain does better because our adversaries are our political rivals; but not Spain.” His political project is “understanding,” both within the PP and among Spaniards, and he pointed out that his aspiration is to “offer a government with a large majority of Spaniards and for all Spaniards.”

Support for the Socialist Government

Núñez Feijóo guaranteed the support of the PP to the Government “to rectify what is being done wrong, streamline the measures that the Spanish need, dismiss the ministers who are in opposition from the Government or lower energy taxes.” He assured the support of the PP to the Executive also to protect public services, not to depend on those who want to fracture and divide Spain, to respect that foreign policy is not a matter of one man but of all, and to stop postponing the solutions that are urgent.

He reminded the Government that the PP will be "located" in the Constitution, the general interest and the sense of State, and stressed that "moderation is not lukewarm, dialogue is not submission and the interests of Spain are not the interests of this government.” He warned that no one is going to "intimidate the PP with their pressure, their disqualifications or their propaganda" and assured that they will exercise the opposition that corresponds to them. "We are not going to be the PP that the other parties want, but the government that the Spanish are waiting for and want," he promised.

He advocated "removing Spanish politics from confrontation and permanent hyperbole," and rejected "forced polemics." He asked: "Let's close sterile debates and face real problems," and warned that "no one can count on me to participate more in this children's entertainment in which Spanish politics has degenerated." He launched a message: "Keep your Democrats, ordinary people, Spaniards, patriots, swearing cards and let's start working as adults once and for all." He insisted that “we all fit here; this is the Spain of all and this is our party: that of all those who want to join the common Spain.” In this sense, he claimed that the PP is the party of the middle and working classes, and defended that "good public services are those capable of doing more with less: not those that spend to the fullest but those that manage to the fullest."

The new leader of the conservative opposition in Spain appealed to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez not to "hide and not insult the intelligence of the Spaniards," and demanded "that the Constitution be respected." In this sense, he considered that “whoever wants to serve Spain must love Spain,” and criticized those who “exercise or condition a Government from disdain, contempt or offense to the territory they represent.” He denounced attempts to participate in politics, weakening coexistence and eroding democratic institutions.

Núñez Feijóo pledged his “respect” for the unity and sovereignty” of Spain, which he described as “non-negotiable;” to the autonomous State; to the European Union, which is synonymous with peace; the Head of State, Justice, families, workers, the self-employed, businessmen, unions and those who are having the worst time. He announced that he transferred to the Royal House that he was elected president of the Popular Party. "It's been an honor," he said.

He stressed that the PP is a "government party" and not a "mere contestation, rejection or slogan." And he stressed that “we are not the party of destroying everything, we are not pro-independence or condescending towards them; we are not anti-European, we are not a party that confronts people on the basis of gender, neither an urban party nor a rural party.” On the contrary, he told him, “we are the party of the majority. And we will continue to be." He highlighted the "integrating and broad vocation" of the PP, which "has been built by expanding, welcoming and adding many Spaniards."

He also addressed messages to the PP militancy, such as his gratitude for the "overwhelming support" they have given him. "I wouldn't be here without you and I can't go on without you now," he said. He promises to work "tenaciously" to earn the trust of the Spanish people and to "leave conformism, resentment, revenge and division out of change."

Finally, he thanked Ukrainian deputy Yelyzaveta Oleksiivna Yasko for her intervention in Congress and stressed that her compatriots have reminded the world that "democracy, freedom and peace do not defend themselves." "For us, your people, today, are our people," he concluded.