đ´ [NOW] PM SĂĄnchez Says He's Staying
After a nail-biting weekend, SĂĄnchez has announced during a televised speech this morning that he is not resigning.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | April 29, 2024 | Madrid | Breaking News
After almost five days of national uncertainty, Prime Minister Pedro SĂĄnchez appeared on national television today at 11 am to announce that heâs staying as Prime Minister of Spain despite attacks on his wife in the press and courts.
âIâve decided to stay as the head of the Spanish government, even stronger if possibleâ, he said, as he asked for Spanish society to mobilize âagainst the politics of shameâ.
âThis isnât about the fate of a particular leader. This is about the kind of society we want to be. Our country needs to reflect on this. For too long, weâve been letting the mud pollute our public lifeâ.
He stated that he is committed to âtireless workâ for the âpending regeneration of our democracy and for the advance and consolidation of rights and libertiesâ. What exactly he means by that, we donât know.
He also asked Spanish citizens to âgo back to being an exampleâ. âThe ailments that affect us are part of a global movement. Letâs show the world how to defend democracyâ.
SĂĄnchez said that part of his decision was based on this weekendâs expressions of support from citizens and his party, even though heâs aware that âattacks against his familyâ will continue: âMy wife and I know that this campaign to discredit us will not stop. We can take it.â
SĂĄnchez, began by explaining that he needed to âstop and reflectâ: âThis letter was bewildering because it was not a political calculation. Iâve acknowledged before those who seek to break me, that it hurts to live these situations. Iâve acted from clear conviction. This is not an ideological matterâ.
In other words, for now nothingâs changed. Heâs staying. It was a fun ride and nothing to see here, go back to work.
Please donât go. During the weekend, thousands of PSOE supporters bussed in from around the country gathered outside the PSOE HQ (on Saturday) and outside the Parliament building (on Sunday), calling for the PM to stay in office and fight.
âTotal uncertaintyâ. By Monday morning, most of Spainâs leading newspapers continued to describe the sense of bewilderment surrounding cabinet members and government officials, as well as opposition leaders, journalists and, well, pretty much everyone else.
âNo one knows anythingâ. Since posting his open letter on social media, the Prime Minister had gone dark. According to both El PaĂs and El Mundo, he hadnât left his residence since Wednesday night and was only surrounded by family members. No late night strategic meetings, no conversations with advisers, no calls with ministers. Nothing. When he said this decision was personal, it looks like he meant it.
According to some government leaders, they only heard from him via text messages, when he briefly responded to thank them for their expressions of support.
The countryâs top columnists also seemed unable to predict his decision, choosing to simply say there was a 50/50 chance and analyzing the different scenarios Spain could face today after the announcement.
Donât miss this Thursdayâs issue of The Tapa Newsletter, where weâll be covering in detail todayâs announcement by the PM and the shockwaves itâs sending throughout Spanish politics.
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