Feijóo uses another bullet and leaves the right lane open

Satisfaction runs through the halls of Génova this Monday, 24 hours after the large gathering in Madrid under the slogan "Mafia or democracy." Not all perspectives from the right are so enthusiastic. Even some within PP believe that Feijóo has wasted another chance while President Pedro Sánchez remains in the same position as yesterday (or even better).

Yesterday's event shows the unpopularity of President Pedro Sánchez's government, but this is nothing new. However, it also reveals PP's impotence to oust Sánchez and the growing division on the right.

There are many sectors on the right that saw yesterday's mobilization as unproductive, or that in any case believed it should serve to show unity. In his effort to seek the center, Feijóo turned the large anti-Sánchez mobilization into a vindication of his own figure. Against Vox, of course, but also against Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

The feeling left by yesterday's demonstration is that right now PP doesn't have any ability to bring down Sánchez. In the long-distance race he's running, Feijóo has definitely decided to occupy the center, leaving the right lane open.

There are many sectors on the right that saw yesterday's mobilization as unproductive, and in any case believed it should serve to show unity. In his effort to seek the center, Feijóo turned the large anti-Sánchez mobilization into a vindication of his own figure. Against Vox, of course, but also against Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

Impotence facing Sánchez

Yesterday's gathering seemed more like a personal vindication by Feijóo ahead of PP's congress in a month than a real attempt to pressure Sánchez's government. Feijóo managed to fill Plaza de España. But yesterday, people talked more about tennis and soccer than about the latest anti-Sánchez gathering.

The strategy of stirring up the streets hasn't worked for PP, but they keep insisting on it. The reality is that there are only three ways to oust President Pedro Sánchez, and none seem viable right now.

The first is for the President of the Government to dissolve the Cortes and call early elections. That's why Feijóo used yesterday's mobilization to challenge President Pedro Sánchez at the polls. The problem is that, although PSOE had some moments of doubt, right now Ferraz's strategy is to see the legislature through at all costs.

The second is a motion of no confidence, but Feijóo cut off all avenues of understanding with Junts by actively opposing the official status of Catalan. Promoting this mechanism now would be useless: it would only serve to show that President Pedro Sánchez still has the majority.

The third way would be the judicial prosecution of President Pedro Sánchez, but that is also unlikely. In private conversations, socialists often boast because PP has gained weight in the streets but PSOE still controls the judiciary.

Feijóo distances himself from Ayuso and Vox

Faced with this reality, Feijóo has accepted that he has to play a long-term game, and yesterday's gathering should be read in that light. Feijóo wasn't putting pressure on the government, but fighting his own particular war on the right. During his speech, the Galician directly challenged President Pedro Sánchez and defied the extremes by championing "centrality" to recover "enthusiasm" for democracy.

This way, Feijóo scares off internal sectors that try to drag him to the right to compete with Vox. He also consolidates the centrist profile that he already institutionalized as a candidate in the investiture debate in September 2023.

The problem is that while Feijóo seeks the center, a large space opens up to his right that he is unable to control. On one hand, Isabel Díaz Ayuso once again asserted her profile at the conference of presidents last Friday. Feijóo, unable to set the pace for her, once again proved that Ayuso remains his main hindrance in PP.

On the other hand, there's the problem of Vox, which refused to participate in a demonstration dominated by PP. Abascal's party keeps growing in the polls and rubs their hands as they watch Feijóo's move toward the center.