Spain’s main opposition party elects moderate new leader

OVIEDO, Spain

Spain’s main opposition Popular Party (PP) elected Alberto Nunez Feijoo its new leader on Saturday.

Feijoo, 60, was the former president of Galicia and presents himself as a moderate and subdued politician.

“We are here to offer reliability, maturity, a sense of state and a clear direction,” he said in his acceptance speech. “My project is a project of understanding.”

Feijoo replaces Pablo Casado, 41, who was ousted after a series of poor election results.

Feijoo was the sole candidate to lead his party and won 98% of votes at the party congress in Seville.

His party has tasked him with leading the opposition in Spain’s parliament and harnessing discontent around the country’s economic situation, marked by soaring inflation and energy prices.

Stopping the rapid growth of the Vox party is another major challenge, as the far-right party threatens to overtake the PP on the right.

“We need to stop fighting over who’s more Spanish or who’s more patriotic, here we all fit in,” said Feijoo in his speech. “We are not a party to see if we can govern with another party that doesn’t believe in Spain. We are a party of majorities.”

The PP has not governed Spain since 2018 when Mariano Rajoy was the leader.

“I know you’ve had your difficult times … but today a new chapter in your history is being written,” Donald Tusk, head of the European People’s Party, said in a speech at the PP congress. “Alberto, you’re the right leader for the right moment.”