Lance Rutkin
LEADERS of Spain’s left-leaning parties united in opposition to the incumbent Mariano Rajoy and his PP party in last night’s televised debate.
Pablo Iglesias, Pedro Sanchez, and Albert Rivera of the Podemos, PSOE and C’s, respectively, attacked Rajoy on the country’s rampant corruption and the stagnant economy.
Rajoy contended that the problems Spain faces are easily seen, but not easily solved.
“To govern is difficult. To preach is easy,” he said.
Iglesias’s Podemos saw an impressive jump in the polls last month after his pact with Alberto Garzon and the Izquierda Unidos. The leftist coalition, now called Podemos Unidos, flew to second place in the polls, ahead of the PSOE.
Whether or not the PSOE and Podemos can come together after the June 26 election remains to be seen. Iglesias, though, seemed confident that they would at the start of the debate.
“There are only two options: a Partido Popular government, or a government of Podemos working with the socialists [PSOE],” he said.
Expats will likely hope for the latter option, especially if the UK votes to leave the EU, as the PP have flexed the most politically, particularly over the issue of Gibraltar.
