A Couple Of Election Rattles Thrown From Prams

CONSERVATIVE and monarchist-leaning daily ABC recently pointed out that there have been Vox-PSOE agreements as well as Vox-Partido Popular pacts.

Some days ago, an ABC writer contacted Vox’s press office for details of these little-known pacts that have put socialist mayors into eight town halls. Admitted, this is small beer compared with the 100 town and city halls and several regional parliaments where Vox has assisted the PP.

Populations in the eight villages – Carrascal de Barregas, Sotoserrano and Vitigudino (Salamanca), Moreruela de Tabarac and Casaseca de las Chanas (Zamaora,) Gradefes (Leon), Domingo Perez (Toledo) and Loriguilla (Valencia) range from 300 to 1,000.

All are small enough for family ties, friendships and – occasionally – enmity to carry more weight than ideology.

In reply, Vox told ABC that if the newspaper were to publish these details, Santiago Abascal would cancel the interview scheduled for July 13 which was due to be published the following Sunday, July 16.

ABC told Vox that if the information proved to be “accurate and of interest” it would be published, whether or not this was to the party’s liking.

“Firstly this is the only route open to a media outlet when defending the public’s right to information or, secondly, defending editorial independence and freedom of action when faced with coercion or impositions of any kind,” ABC wrote on July 14.

“It is not the first time that Vox has been mistaken in its relations with the press and this newspaper, something which poses a real obstacle for a political force that hopes to govern and attain executive responsibilities,” the ABC editorial continued.

“In a democracy, it is not power that watches over the press but the other way around.”

Poll predictions

SANTIAGO ABASCAL is equally unhappy with the polls now published on a daily basis.

Speaking at a meeting in Palma de Mallorca on July 14, the Vox leader complained that pollsters didn’t want to reflect reality but, on the contrary, sought to “discourage” voters.

“They don’t try to predict results but wish to influence public opinion,” Abascal said.

In the event, he has little to complain about as the majority put him well ahead of the PSOE’s voting ally, Sumar.

According to Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE, which takes an average of 27 polls, the PP would be the most-voted party, with 139 parliamentary seats.  The PSOE would have 105, Vox 38 and Sumar 33.

Figures shift one way and another depending on who carries out the poll, although on July 14, ABC’s poll gave 152 seats to the PP, 115 to the PSOE and 29 to Vox, two fewer than the previous day, but still in front of Yolanda Diaz’s Sumar on 25.

El Pais’s 40dB put Feijoo and the PP ahead with 133 seats, followed by 109 for the PSOE, 39 for Vox and 38 for Sumar.

Soon the time for polls – apart from the big one on July 23 – will be over, as Spain’s electoral laws state that no more can be published after July 17.