“There are more of us, many more, who want Spain to advance! And it will continue to be so!” Pedro Sánchez promised last night, on the stage set up on Ferraz street to celebrate the result of the elections.
“Spain and all its citizens have been very clear: the involutionary bloc of regression in rights and freedoms has failed,” celebrated the PSOE leader. “The block of the Popular Party and Vox has been defeated!” Sánchez cried.
“We have done it again!”, clamored the socialist leaders last night gathered at the Ferraz headquarters, where many had expected a funeral night. “Nobody gave a penny for us!” They celebrated. Pedro Sánchez promised to revalidate a progressive coalition government “against all odds.” “Against everything and against everyone”, they encouraged their own, as always in their hectic political career. And the scrutiny of 23-J left the door open, at least, to try. Although, as always, nothing will be simple. Quite the opposite.
The proven resistance capacity of the PSOE leader was once again demonstrated, in any case, on another election night of heart attack in Ferraz. The tsunami of the right that threatened to take him away, especially after the disastrous prelude to the municipal and regional elections on May 28, which dyed Spain blue and precipitated the advance of the general elections, failed to devastate Sánchez. On the contrary.
The sum of the PP and Vox did not reach the bar of the absolute majority, as some interested polls had been predicting for weeks and months, in the opinion of Sánchez himself. “Not even in dreams”, the socialists had warned, on the other hand. Not even with the extra UPN seat. And this arithmetic, as the PSOE leadership had also warned, would leave many scenarios open.
That’s how it went. Alberto Núñez Feijóo won the elections, in votes and seats. But Sánchez surpassed, also in votes and seats, his results from the last general elections of 2019, with up to 31.8% of the total ballots.
“We have obtained more votes, more seats and a higher percentage than four years ago!” Sánchez congratulated himself in his nocturnal appearance before the supporters gathered in Ferraz. And he effusively thanked the more than seven million votes harvested last night by the PSOE.
At Sánchez’s side, his wife, Begoña Gómez, appeared –as always on big occasions–, as well as the president of the PSOE, Cristina Narbona; the party’s deputy general secretary, Minister María Jesús Montero, and Ferraz’s organization secretary, Santos Cerdán. Everyone was genuinely elated.
Against all odds, therefore, the Prime Minister, now in office, is still standing. The wave of the rights failed to bend his knees. Although some socialist leaders assumed last night that this 23-J opens “a poisoned scenario” for the investiture and for the governability of Spain. “We have come out of worse,” they pointed out in any case.
The PSOE left for this Monday the analysis of the open political scenario. And he chose to enjoy election night, finally, as if he had achieved a great victory at the polls.
After the whole day at Moncloa, Sánchez arrived in Ferraz almost at the stroke of eleven at night. Soon after, the street was closed to traffic so that militants and supporters could celebrate, with music blaring. It was a night of partying, of which the Socialists were in great need.
A tide of rainbow flags, from the PSOE and from Spain, took Ferraz street. Sánchez went on stage to celebrate, already at the stroke of midnight. The celebration, after all the day of uncertainty, was joined by the vice presidents Nadia Calviño and Teresa Ribera, and the ministers Félix Bolaños, María Jesús Montero, Isabel Rodríguez, Margarita Robles, Pilar Llop and Miquel Iceta. Even Josep Borrell joined the electoral night. Sánchez argued that if he precipitated the generals after the fiasco of 28-M, it was because he was convinced that Spain should “decide which course to take.” “Forward or retreat,” he insisted. And the “involutionist block” of the PP and Vox, celebrated, failed.
The night was a carousel of emotions. “We will have to wait if there are smiles or tears tonight,” sighed a veteran militant at the gates of Ferraz, just begun the scrutiny. Finally, it was smiles. And today will be another day.
