The newspaper library is very cruel. No politician resists a dive into past statements. The difference lies in the frequency of these inconsistencies, whether they are distant in time or recent and whether they affect matters of weight or not so much. It must be recognized that rescuing these contradictions is very juicy for a journalist. And the viewer is happy to see how the interviewee sweats to justify the twists in his convictions. The most curious thing is that it is the same politicians who dig into the rectifications of their rivals, knowing that they will go through the same trance. This election campaign is being a festival of self-corrections.
José María Aznar won the elections with the Felipe González wedge equal to “unemployment, waste and corruption”. Time and time again, the leader of the PP insisted on that persistent idea that was effectively silenced at the moment of further decay and decomposition of that socialist government. Alberto Núñez Feijóo has coined the expression “repeal Sanchism”, which he identifies with the “lies” of Pedro Sánchez, who once distanced himself from ERC and Bildu before turning them into parliamentary allies.
For years, Sánchez disdained the mantra of “sanchisme” (adopted first by Ciutadans and then by the PP) because he didn’t believe it had any effect, until he ended up taking to the stage to “dismantle it”. In this effort, he has argued that he did not lie, but that he rectified or changed his mind because he considered that the objectives (the legislative agenda and appeasement in Catalonia) were more important than that initial statement of principles.
The PP has also changed its opinion these days. María Guardiola has done it in Extremadura. In a relentless way for her reputation because the popular leader had walked around the media exhibiting principled firmness only a few days ago. He swallowed this toad: “My word is not as important as the future of Extremadura”. Guardiola seemed to act as a counterweight to Carlos Mazón’s generosity with Vox in Valencia, but he slowed down and irritated many people in the PP. After those two agreements and the one in the Balearic Islands, we only need to know the outcome in Aragon and Murcia. It is easy for Jorge Azcónté to take on part of the far-right program without entering the Government, while in Murcia the repeat elections are likely (the PP is two seats away from an absolute majority). By now we have outlined the playing field on which Feijóo and Santiago Abascal could negotiate.
If we extrapolate this frame to the generals, we conclude that, only if Feijóo obtains a result that requires an abstention from Vox, will he prevent this formation from entering the Government. And, in any case, he will have to accept Abascal’s programmatic demands with a strong ideological component and which affect the yolk of the civil rights egg. And another conclusion: his party will squeeze him so that he does not squirm or resist much to the embrace with Vox.
The other “change of opinion” of the people refers to the labor reform. After predicting that it would lead to massive job destruction, the PP is now giving it up for good. Feijóo corrected Brussels, which has conditioned European funds on the application of the rule. But, in addition, the employer has made it clear to the PP leadership that it does not want the most substantial part of the labor reform to be touched.
The PP also rectified the law on deadlines for abortion or homosexual marriage. Perhaps the big difference is that Sánchez’s changes of opinion are related to the territorial conflict, to the unity of Spain, a matter more sensitive for the right and for many voters than any other issue.
Politicians change their minds, correct, backtrack and yes, sometimes they lie. Lies are everywhere today and there are even studies that show that we are more inclined to believe lies than the truth. In any case, lying involves the awareness of deceiving one’s neighbor, and it holds up against all odds. Changes of opinion should be able to be argued – and even welcomed – without suffering stoning for it.
