If in the media sphere Pedro Sánchez’s hare in recent weeks has been former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, on the Catalan stage, if it is about rallies, the one who paves the way and sets the pace for the President of the Government in the electoral race is the first secretary of the PSC, Salvador Illa, a long-distance runner, who this Sunday in a packed Palau de Congressos de Barcelona, ??with 3,000 attendees -according to the organizers-, has raised the tone against the candidate of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and has taken for granted the victory of the socialists. “This sprint can only be won by two people… What matters is that Pedro Sánchez will arrive first”, he asserted.

The head of the central executive and secretary general of the PSOE, in turn, has demanded that the socialist electorate not stay at home on July 23 “so as not to go back and continue advancing” given the possibility that a coalition of PP governs the country and Vox headed by Alberto Núñez Feijóo.

“We are going to win the elections again on July 23. We are going to win for the workers, for the rights of pensioners, those of our young people and for the rights of women”, remarked the head of the central Executive. “You have to go out and vote”, Sánchez exclaimed, with a message dedicated above all to young people. “I tell young people that on this July 23, we are risking our future, their future,” said the socialist candidate. “What they have to do is go to vote, to vote for the PSOE to continue advancing,” he added.

The President of the Government has also had specific words for those who have doubts. In this sense, he has asked for “one last effort from the undecided, from those who, if they are going to vote, vote for the PSOE.” “I tell you that one day to vote and four years of social progress,” Sánchez pointed out at the most massive rally of the Catalan campaign on 23-J.

“Advance, advance, advance”, exclaimed the leader of the PSOE in the final arreón in opposition to the proposal of PP and Vox to “repeal, repeal, repeal”.

Likewise, the President of the Government has vindicated the legislative work of the Coalition Executive and the macroeconomic figures, while at the same time he has assured that after the elections on July 23 he will govern by the hand of Yolanda Díaz, leader of Sumar. “From July 23 I will govern with Yolanda Díaz’s party. I say it clearly,” said the head of the central executive, who until now has not said so clearly and in the previous campaign of the generals it was not said in no case.

Sánchez has been preceded by Illa, with a very rallying tone as opposed to the usual institutional tone that is seen in Parliament. The leader of the PSC has accused Feijóo of planting “deceit” with the doubts that he has cast on the Post Office and has indicated that “the problem is not Vox”. “The problem is the PP and the problem is Feijóo, who agrees with them in each region. Extremadura, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, the triplet of shame”, continued Illa, who has claimed “useful politics as opposed to sterile politics” which he attributes to other formations. “Feijóo, put red lines to the far right,” he has claimed.

Illa has also sought hand-to-hand with Junts and Esquerra, whom she has made ugly for talking about “raising the price” or blocking the “institutions”. “Vox is clear, we know what he says in his program. He wants to go back to the 70s, to the pre-autonomous state,” the PSC leader pointed out. “Others say they want to block,” he said, referring to JxCat. “But what are you going to block? The rise in pensions, in the minimum wage?” Illa questioned. “Others, with mercantilist language, say that they will set a higher price,” he has said of ERC. To the rights of the workers?”, He has asked. “Neither block nor put a price, move forward is what must be done”, he has sentenced.

The process has also made an appearance, and the first secretary of the PSC has pointed out that “coexistence” has been “reinforced by the concrete action of the president of the government, because he made decisions.” “Decisions that we Ctalans appreciate. A path has been made where there was no path,” added Illa.

The mayor of Barcelona, ??Jaume Collboni, and the president of Congress and PSC candidate in the July 23 elections, Meritxell Batet, also spoke at the rally.

Catalonia has become in this electoral cycle the stronghold of the socialists. In the last elections to the Parliament and in the municipal ones, the PSC has been the first force.