Briefing
The leader of the Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has in recent days focused his campaign for the early parliamentary elections on 29 November 2026 avoiding the mistakes of the 2023 election year. On 12 October 2026, Feijóo told an event for party members that they must not repeat the “Ghosts of 2023” and said the aim was to present the PP as a credible alternative, offering a government for “the whole country”. He warned against a repeat of internal tensions and rhetorical blunders which, in his view, had harmed conservative voters at the time.
On policy, Feijóo emphasised the programme’s focus on the economy, employment and public services and sought to moderate his tone towards potential coalition partners. At the same time, he reaffirmed his willingness to form alliances with right-wing conservative forces, but made clear that after the election there would be “neither a Cordón sanitario nor an umbilical cord” to Vox — drawing a line against absolute vetoes without promising close subordination.
The rhetoric reflects a strategic realignment which, according to the party headquarters, takes account of internal analyses of the 2023 defeat: less confrontational symbolic politics, greater focus on concrete social and economic policy proposals, and an emphasis on orderly government. Observers also see the wording as an attempt to retain votes from across the conservative spectrum without announcing a formal coalition in advance.
Feijóo’s appearances and statements are part of the formal pre-election phase; the date of the snap election (29 November 2026) was confirmed by the President of the Government in October 2026. Feijóo’s key messages — avoiding the mistakes of 2023, prioritising social services and drawing a line against vetoes — are at the heart of the Partido Popular’s current campaign.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).