Gabriel Rufián Does Pedro Sánchez a Disservice

Gabriel Rufián seems to have his objective clear, and in recent days he has been fiercely provoking PSOE and Sumar. His strategy is to present Esquerra as the only force capable of stopping the "far right". In Catalan terms, he claims ERC's role as the only useful pro-independence party in Madrid.

This Thursday he participated in the spokespersons' debate on RTVE. In the section on territorial politics, he boasted about having persuaded Pedro Sánchez to pardon the nine convicted for the 'procés'. Something that surely didn't sit well in Ferraz.

PSOE, in serious trouble to recover in the polls, is trying at all costs to distance itself from the extremes. What Rufián did yesterday was precisely to dismantle that strategy. He presented Pedro Sánchez's PSOE as a party in the hands of ERC and EH Bildu.

Rufián Throws a Lifeline to PP

PP and PSOE exchanged blows over the territorial model in Spain. Cuca Gamarra from PP reproached the socialists for the pardons and stated that if her party comes to power, they won't allow a few to decide for everyone. Patxi López from PSOE defended Pedro Sánchez's "brave and risky decisions" to restore "calm" after the "unprecedented scenario in Catalonia".

Additionally, Patxi López stated that "Catalan society values it", referring to PSC's rise as the leading political force. This upset Rufián. Not only because ERC has gone from first to third force in Catalonia but also because his campaign focuses on clawing votes from the left.

"It's not true that the situation is better," he countered, "it's different because we've achieved things you didn't want. Like, for example, getting nine people out of prison. You were forced to do it because otherwise, you would have governed with Albert Rivera."

Even PP's spokesperson, Cuca Gamarra, thanked Gabriel Rufián for "his sincerity" about the price they set for Pedro Sánchez's investiture. She also asked him if this time they will raise the price for a PSOE and Sumar government.

Votes for the Right

The referendum was also at the center of the debate among spokespersons. Gabriel Rufián urged Patxi López to clarify if he will accept the holding of a referendum in Catalonia. And he addressed Sumar's representative, Aina Vidal, to ask if they will support the holding of a referendum in Catalonia.

Gabriel Rufián's strategy seems evident, and it is to recover in the polls at the expense of the left's vote. But he forgets that to be key in Spain's governance he needs the left forces to add up. And statements like his yesterday are the best campaign for PP and Vox.