Claves para una campaña electoral: marcar la agenda y ocupar espacios

Six weeks remain until Spanish voters head to the polls in a highly significant election, marked by intense campaigning and street activity, reminiscent of social tension seen in France, Italy, or Portugal. Political parties have ramped up their efforts, emphasizing the importance of setting the agenda and occupying spaces. A novel concept has emerged: introducing unexpected elements, a skill exemplified by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who demonstrated this with a public display of affection for his wife, Begoña Gómez, this weekend.

The aim is to evoke emotions in the face of a seemingly cold and distant candidate like Alberto Núñez Feijóo. With the crisis in housing as the catalyst, the PSOE believed that young people's indignation over the unaffordability of housing would help overturn unfavorable polls. However, this momentum quickly fizzled as protesters and campers directed their attacks at the government, which had failed to resolve the housing issue.

The "vote with a V for housing" slogan quickly became outdated. A new phase of campaigning has begun, with both major parties vying to set the agenda and occupy spaces, while the far-right Vox seeks to maintain its momentum and leftist forces within the PSOE look to mobilize their voters through an "Broad Front" that has yet to unite all its candidates.

Ultimately, the stage is set for a fierce battle between "anti-fascists" and "anti-Sanchezists," employing populistic tactics that are successful worldwide. Both La Moncloa and the Ferraz offices initiated a social offensive yesterday, with a first package of social measures expected to be approved by the Council of Ministers today.

This includes a decree law to expand aspects related to widowhood pensions, advantages for women subjected to gender-based violence, and other issues, all set to pass unproblematically in the Permanent Commission of the Congress of Deputies. This marks the beginning of a series of "Super Tuesdays," as further measures like raising the minimum interprofessional salary and other surprises for pensioners, officials, and other groups are anticipated.

Sánchez aims to mobilize disenchanted voters disillusioned with the socialists and potentially "steal" a few hundred thousand who voted for Sumar in 2023 and are now disappointed by the lack of unity among their candidates. Additionally, the electoral guateque organized by Sánchez this past Saturday, in which Begoña Gómez, the president's wife, made an unexpected appearance despite being under investigation for two corruption charges, has become a significant electoral asset.

The call for emotion proved successful, with a palpable collective euphoria among PSOE supporters who broke into dance as if part of a cult. In contrast, the PP continues to focus on specific proposals and relentless attacks on the weaknesses of the progressive coalition government, including corruption, inefficiency in managing the Ceuta crisis, the lack of foreign policy, the absence of budgets for a year, and the damage caused by "Sanchismo" to institutions.

The party is careful not to repeat the mistakes that prevented their success in 2023, focusing on regenerating democracy, economic and social proposals, and this weekend, combating the occupation of homes. In the PP ranks, special attention is being paid to avoiding the errors that hindered their governance in 2023, renouncing attacks on Vox and instead emphasizing their own proposals, avoiding controversial matters.

Despite this, their leader, Santiago Abascal, has opted for a cautious stance, emphasizing "sacrifices" as a means to appeal to voters, with the government's pension system likened to "bursting." While the PP has attempted to retract, repeatedly emphasizing that pensions are sacred and can be adjusted according to the inflation rate (IPC), the damage has already been done. Observers note that the far-right Vox remains favored by the polls and continues their strategy.