It is a common image in politics. In those moments before any meeting, while photographers and television cameras take their images, politicians greet each other by shaking hands. The usual thing is that they exchange a few words while the graphic media does its job. They seem to be relaxed. There may even be smiles, some more sincere than others. But you have to pay close attention to all the gestures that occur at that moment because they give a lot of information about the relationship between those people. A simple clasping of hands is a declaration of intentions, an indicator of the protagonists’ way of relating. There is nothing innocent in non-verbal communication. And the acting president and leader of the PSOE, Pedro Sánchez, who is a skilled communicator, knows well what he is doing when he shakes the hand of his interlocutor.
On October 4, one day after receiving the order from the King to attempt his investiture, Sánchez opened the round of interviews with the groups’ representatives in Congress. He only left Vox out of the conversations. Due to agenda issues, his first meeting, on October 4, was with Yolanda Díaz, second vice president of the acting Government and leader of Sumar.
The good harmony between Sánchez and Díaz is not only political – they are partners in the coalition government – but also personal. Díaz, who is very expressive in her emotions, usually greets people with whom she has a good relationship in a very affectionate way. And with Sánchez the usual thing is that they exchange kisses.
“Díaz is a very emotional person, he requires a lot of physical contact. It’s not enough for him to give two kisses on the face, he has to touch,” explains non-verbal communication expert José Luis Martín Ovejero in a relaxed tone. In the photo above, you can see how he holds her shoulders, but with both hands. “There is a lot of connection between the two, it is noticeable,” he emphasizes. And he draws attention to a detail in the photo in which they are sitting: “She crosses her legs, and the floating foot orients it towards Sánchez’s side, indicating that she is comfortable. If she wanted to leave, it would be the other way around.”
Sánchez’s second interview was with the president of the PP and leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. The relationship between both parties is at a moment of maximum polarization. Feijóo, who failed in his investiture attempt, gives Sánchez no respite. But in the photo of his interview, on Monday of this week, you can see the control of the scene that the PSOE leader has. “Sánchez has the initiative, he adopts a dominant position, you just have to look at how he brings Feijóo’s hand to his body,” says Martín Ovejero. He does not shake his hand in a central position, but takes him to his field. This expert also points out that there is no connection with the look between the two, although the context must be taken into account, he points out, which is a pose in front of the photographers.
The next day, October 10, Sánchez met with the president of the PNV in Congress, Aitor Esteban. They are parliamentary partners and they both seem comfortable in those first moments before the meeting. And there is in the greeting a more equal treatment. “Esteban smiles and it is a good greeting because they shake hands vertically, neither of them transmits dominance or submission, and their gaze is direct to the face of the interlocutor,” emphasizes José Luis Martín Ovejero. However, Sánchez’s smile in this image is not that open, triumphant smile that he has so successfully, he adds.
That same day, the acting President of the Government met with another of the Government’s allies: the BNG deputy, Néstor Rego. The images of the meeting show good harmony. “The one who dominates the scene is Sánchez, indicating where he has to sit. At least in this image, we see Rego’s slightly hunched posture and his gaze downward, which indicates a position of inferiority,” states Martín Ovejero.
The interview with Gabriel Rufián, ERC leader in Congress, took place on October 11. Sánchez went with the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños. The initial images show a certain comfort, but not complete. They smile, but there are some indicators such as the clasped hands that indicate that they are not completely comfortable, says José Luis Martín Ovejero, who draws attention to Bolaños’ crossed leg: “The floating foot points in the opposite direction to Rufián and that indicates that there is no comfort or tranquility.
But, without a doubt, for discomfort, the image of the meeting with the representative of Junts in Congress, Míriam Nogueras, this Friday, October 13. Nogueras appears in all the photographs with tight lips, forcing a smile. There is a lot of intention in that gesture. Also in Sánchez, who came accompanied by the Secretary of Organization of the PSOE, Santos Cerdán, a tough nut to crack. Nogueras’s gesture seems to infect Sánchez and Cerdán, who also want to appear to be smiling but what they express is a contained tension. “Nogueras’s face is spectacular. He tightens his lips, which indicates that he is trying to repress emotions, and he smiles without raising the corners. It is a smile for a photo, but full of tension. Furthermore, they do not look at each other,” details this communication expert. non verbal.
There is more spontaneity in the smiles of the representatives of EH Bildu. Sánchez’s meeting, this Friday, October 13, with the spokesperson for the Abertzale left in Congress, Mertxe Aizpurua, and with his counterpart in the Senate, Gorka Elejabarrieta, was the first of a President of the Government with this formation. Bildu is a partner in the coalition government and has already given its support to Sánchez’s investiture. And the photograph of the clasping of hands between Sánchez and Aizpurua reveals the attitude of both towards the appointment. Watch out for Sánchez’s containment.
Aizpurua smiles openly. “She looks very happy, with a sincere smile. We see it by the wrinkles in her eyes, on the side of her. The brain activates that muscle when there is joy,” details Martín Ovejero. In the photograph in which the four of them are sitting, the two Bildu representatives are leaning forward, there is involvement in the meeting, he adds. On the other hand, Sánchez is more withdrawn, leaning on the backrest.
The image of the moments prior to the meeting of the acting president with the Canarian Coalition deputy, Cristina Valido, is also eloquent. Both convey good personal harmony. Canarian Coalition voted in favor of Feijóo’s investiture but has opened itself to supporting Sánchez if they reach an agreement. In the images before the meeting, they smile and are talking. The clasping of hands is vertical and centered in the space between them, there is no dominance of anyone. “She is an expressive person. You can see that it is easy to communicate with her. She looks at Sánchez and you can tell that they are talking, we already know that they are not saying anything important, they are in front of the photographers, but you can see that there is an conversation beyond the greeting,” highlights Martín Ovejero.
And attention to the photograph prior to Sánchez’s meeting with the UPN deputy in Congress, Alberto Catalán. In the initial greeting, the leader of the PSOE once again marks the ground and shows dominance, underlines José Luis Martín Ovejero. “Sánchez brings Catalán’s hand closer to his body, he has that tendency to dominate the scene. This is a posed photo, purely formal, they smile but not too much,” he points out.
Sánchez knew, like Alberto Catalán, that they were not going to get anything from that meeting. It was a formal meeting. UPN, an ally of the PP, voted for Feijóo’s investiture and has already warned that it will not support that of the PSOE leader.
