Political Madrid is much hotter than usual, not so much because of the heatwaves, but because of the judicial investigations affecting Pedro Sánchez and his inner circle. The capital’s rumor mills are full of speculation about the next steps to be taken in the courts of justice. There is interest in knowing whether Santos Cerdán will choose the Aldama route and become a repentant witness like the two Martínez in the Plus Ultra case, or if he will stick to his strategy of defending his innocence, as José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García did. The verdict in the Mascarillas case has set a trend, and there is no middle ground: either a light sentence if one cooperates with justice, or a sentence of up to 24 years if no agreement is reached with the Public Prosecutor’s Office. As an example: the Supreme Court yesterday lifted the precautionary measures imposed on businessman Víctor de Aldama and returned his passport so he can travel abroad.
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With these threats hanging over its head, many predict a rather short journey for the current Government and doubt that it can last until 2027, which is the objective set by the socialist leader. Well, in this context, Sánchez received unexpected encouragement from the leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who stated yesterday that these upcoming Christmas holidays will be the socialist leader’s last in Moncloa. The PP president declared the legislature over, but still sees the socialists in the government’s engine room until the end of the year.
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If you really think about it, and it’s not an unforced error, it’s a positive attitude for which he should be congratulated. Núñez Feijóo has been seen as too intense throughout the legislature in his demand for an early election. Any excuse was good enough to ask for it, and a good part of his discourse as leader of the opposition has been focused on that. Many commentators, and also leaders of his party, believe that the wear and tear suffered by the Executive due to corruption cases is so great that time will only serve to increase its erosion. That it is not worth forcing its downfall. We will see what happens on the judicial front in the coming days. But, for now, if we listen to Feijóo, Sánchez will get to eat Christmas nougat in Moncloa.
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