As Alberto Núñez Feijóo took to the stage last Thursday to something akin to a rock star welcome, behind him was a campaign sign which read: This is the moment.
Many in the large crowd in Castelldefels, a wealthy seaside town near Barcelona hoped he may be Spain’s next prime minister.
With less than two weeks until a snap election on July 23, it looks that way.
A succession of polls predict that Feijóo, the PP leader, will win more votes than the ruling Socialist Party but the PP will fall short of winning a majority and may have to rely on the far-right Vox party. If Feijóo moves into the Moncloa Palace, the Spanish prime minister’s official residence on the outskirts of Madrid, what will this mean for Spain – and Europe?
Throughout this whirlwind summer election, he insisted he can govern alone without Vox but this might require the Socialists and the far-left Sumar party to abstain – something they have refused to do so far.
Feijóo styles himself as a “dull technocrat” in contrast to the Socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez, who is nicknamed ‘El Guapo’ – The Handsome One - for his film star good looks. The two men came face to face in a chaotic television debate on Monday night which observers believe Feijóo won – or rather Sánchez lost.
The 61-year-old conservative leader has pledged strong support for the European Union, backing for Ukraine and promoting links between Europe and Latin America.
A victory for the PP would mean a right-wing government would take over Spain’s six-month presidency of the Council of the EU
Feijóo's party has agreed a series of deals to govern with Vox in a series of regional governments since local elections in May and Sanchez tried to suggest the same could happen on a national level.
A poll for Ipsos for La Vanguardia newspaper found 60% of Spaniards were worried about the prospect of a PP-Vox coalition.
From regional to national government?
In his election manifesto, Feijóo said the PP backed the policy of 'strategic autonomy' for Europe which aims to give the continent independence in sectors like defence and technology from the United States and China.
Spain would also support an “efficient, humanitarian and secure” common EU policy to tackle the migration crisis.
He has lined up former ministers and ambassadors to help if he suddenly takes over the EU presidency.
These include José María García Margallo, a former foreign minister and Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, the government spokesman in the last conservative administration.
Feijóo insists his government would keep the border open between Gibraltar and Spain as torturous negotiations between the post-Brexit status of the Rock foundered because of the election.
Until now, Feijóo's only experience has been running the regional government in Galicia, a conservative rural region in northwestern Spain.
If he becomes prime minister, he will be plunged immediately into international politics, but he insists he is prepared.
“Don’t expect any song-and-dance or last-minute script changes from this candidate but rather certainties, moderation and stability,” he told a recent Madrid meeting.
But Feijóo will lack one essential skill: English.
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