When questioned by Ribera, Montserrat avoids clarifying whether the PP will agree with the far right in Europe Spain

The only scheduled face-to-face conversation between the PSOE and the PP candidates failed to clarify the big issue the European elections to be held on 9 June. The head of the Popular List, Dolors Monserrat, has avoided answering the socialist Teresa Ribera if her party will agree with Vox in Europe and has dodged the question about the agreements with the far right: “If we win the elections, we will take leadership give policy in the European Parliament,” he defended in a general manner, while emphasizing that the PP is a “Europeanist and reformist” party. “We are going to put the PP program first,” the popular MEP emphasized, without therefore ruling out a possible agreement. “Will the right continue to surrender to the other right? Do we want more Europe or are we going to look back?” Ribera complained from the first minute of the debate, broadcast on La Sexta.

The first election debate has revealed the country's different strategies both parties for the election appointment: While the PP has recovered the amnesty and the pacts of the PSOE with the Junts, which were left behind in the Catalan elections, the Socialists are trying to activate their electorate out of fear of the PP's pacts with the far right, as they already did during the Catalan elections. 23-J, while defending the green agenda and social justice. In a discussion in a generally moderate tone and without disqualifications or insults, socialist Teresa Ribera and popular Dolors Montserrat have also clashed over immigration policy and the recognition of the state of Palestine.

The Socialist candidate celebrated Wednesday's announcement Spain will recognize the Palestinian state on May 28 together with Norway and Ireland to “do justice to a terrible situation.” “We must restore international order in Gaza and that requires the recognition of Palestine, the two-state solution, the recognition that there can be no excuse for violating human rights. Of course we have to fight against terrorist groups and free the hostages,” Ribera said. “They skipped the agreement and consensus of the Spanish parliament,” Monserrat replied, ignoring that in 2014, when the PP governed with an absolute majority, Congress agreed to urge the executive to divide the two states recognition, including that of Palestine. “You only recognized Palestine and you did it to cover up the government's corruption,” the PP candidate has accused.

The representative of the PSOE also defended control at the origin of irregular migration and that this should be strengthened bilaterally and also at European level, while at the same time “solidarity” in the reception of migrants. And for this, the case of the Canary Islands is glaring, where the PP governs together with the Canary Coalition and encounters rejection or resistance from the communities where PP and Vox govern in order to ensure a fairer distribution of unaccompanied minor migrants prevent. The government and the Canary Islands have agreed on the mandatory distribution of migrant minors to other communities, which amounts to the distribution between territories of 2,500 children for foster care. “They are once again embracing the xenophobic discourse of their partners,” Feijóo said the campaign in Catalonia of foreigners and squatters. “They copied Vox's speech,” Ribera pointed out. “What we are saying is that the squatter is deported and the repeat foreigner is expelled,” countered Monserrat, who was very harsh in her immigration speech. “Anyone who comes to commit a crime will be deported,” he stressed. The PP candidate has defended the “fight against the mafia” and the “strengthening of borders” as policies against illegal immigration, while opting for “legal and orderly” immigration.

Facing accusations of practicing “climate dogmatism”, Ribera has urged the PP candidate to “stop misleading people”. “This government is the one that has devoted the most resources to agriculture since the beginning of democracy, with 4 billion euros in the most difficult years during the corona crisis, the energy crisis and also the drought due to climate change. This government has succeeded in increasing the allocation for the CAP to EUR 47,000 million in 2021, something that the government of Mariano Rajoy failed to achieve during the CAP negotiations in 2013,” Ribera claimed, while Monserrat continued to hint at the farmers. fishermen and accused him of “attacking the countryside” and “criminalizing” the primary sector. “It is enough to contrast agriculture with the green agenda,” continued Ribera, who has reproached the PP candidate for not giving up the “mantra” that defends the far right “against the 2030 Agenda,” the third vice president has said and Minister of Foreign Affairs accused. Ecological Transition, who aspires to a commissioner position at the European Commission in the field of Environment or Energy.

Housing policy was also discussed during the face-to-face meeting, which started at 10:45 p.m. and lasted until after midnight. For Ribera, it is “the big problem of the moment in Europe, especially for young people.” “I just want a European housing plan, a search for solutions to the rental prices of houses with a public pact,” emphasized the PSOE candidate, who has criticized the fact that the autonomous communities of the Partido Popular and Vox have decided to raise the rent ceiling not applicable. or they sell the houses and the public housing agreement to vulture funds.” For her part, the PP candidate has proposed that young people be exempted from paying taxes during the first five years of their working careers so that they can save for access to housing. Regarding fiscal policy, Ribera emphasized that the PSOE proposes to introduce a European tax on large fortunes, as it has already done in Spain. The Socialists have also included in their election manifesto a tribute to the banks for their extraordinary advantages. Montserrat has proposed cutting VAT on meat and fish to tackle inflation.

For her part, the PP candidate has hit the PSOE candidate with the amnesty, which has marginalized her party in the Catalan campaign. Montserrat has raised the measure of mercy several times during the European debate, despite the fact that the PP brushed aside criticism of the measure for Catalan independents in the campaign for Catalan women that she herself led. Tonight, however, the popular candidate urged to question the pardon measure. “We should not normalize the fact that Spain has handed over governance to a fugitive with seven votes,” he criticized in reference to Carles Puigdemont (Junts), whom he also stressed that the European Parliament is investigating his ties with Putin, “Europe's greatest enemy .” “. The PP has reclaimed the amnesty as a campaign for the European elections in June, because it is a mobilizing element of its electorate, as recognized in the party, although it was sidelined in the Catalan elections due to the strong support it receives in society of Catalonia. .

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