Feijóo’s decision
On the night of 23-J, in full commotion over the election result, Alberto Núñez Feijóo made a decision that surprised many. Instead of admitting defeat, he announced to the people gathered in front of the PP headquarters in Genoa that, as the candidate with the most votes, he would open dialogue with the other parties to obtain the investiture. This decision was met with disbelief by the public, who did not see how it could be possible. However, Feijóo defended his stance by citing previous prime ministers and stating that this had always happened. This statement, however, did not correspond to reality.
The negotiation with Junts
What many do not know is that at some point Feijóo seriously considered negotiating with Junts. It was not just an informal meeting, but proposals were heard and responses were given. Feijóo was so convinced that it was up to him to govern that he did not foresee the consequences of opening the door to dialogue with Carles Puigdemont’s formation. This decision was a mistake that led to his own downfall.
The ‘I’m not president because I didn’t want to’ speech
After verifying the impossibility of the operation with Junts, the PP constructed the discourse of ‘I am not president because I did not want to’. Feijóo tried to make the public believe that if he had supported the pardons, Junts would have made him president, as happened with Pedro Sánchez. However, this speech was false. If Feijóo had committed to the pardons, Vox would have withdrawn its support and he would not have had the necessary votes to be invested as president. This strategy was dismantled by Aitor Esteban during the investiture debate.
Feijóo’s three lies
In short, Feijóo deceived his voters on three occasions. First, making them believe he could be president. Then, convincing them that he was not because he had not wanted to give in to the pro-independence parties. And finally, trying to justify his decision with a false speech. These falsehoods have gone unnoticed by many, but it is important to highlight them in order to understand the true nature of Feijóo’s actions.
