Feijóo says the PP has always re-evaluated pensions despite not supporting the reform that protects their increase according to the CPI
The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, was this morning in an interview with Hour 1, on TV. When asked why the leadership of the Popular Party forced the leader of the Extremadura formation, María Guardiola, to agree with Vox to form a coalition government despite her assurances that she would not do so, Feijóo replied: “I am surprised that you know that I forced Mrs. Guardiola to do something that I didn’t force her to do”. And he added: “The party leadership, I said it clearly, has always agreed that the most voted list should govern, but the PSOE has refused. We relaunched it before the municipal and regional ones, we relaunched it later, and the PSOE refused”. In Extremadura, the PSOE was the force with the most votes but the popular people found an agreement with the far right of Vox to rule.
“I would like Mr. Sánchez to commit himself, if he loses votes and seats, to having whoever wins govern. Therefore, I reiterate, I have always said that I believe that whoever wins should govern, and I have proposed an electoral reform,” said Feijóo, who ignored that, with the current parliamentary system, the prime minister or regional presidents are invested, if they do not have an absolute majority, thanks to their parliamentary support with other formations, as happened with the PP in Extremadura.
Asked once again if he is satisfied with the pact in this region, Feijóo defended himself: “Yes, of course. In Extremadura there is a government that has stability”. And he insisted: “We have proposed governments without extremes, and the PSOE has refused”
“Our party has always re-evaluated pensions based on the CPI,” Feijóo said, despite the PP voting against the coalition government’s approved pension reform that screens pension increases based on the CPI increase. Journalist Silvia Intxaurrondo told him that in 2012, 2013 and 2017 the PP did not.
In 2012, in fact, the PP government, with Mariano Rajoy as president, raised pensions by 1%, with which retirees lost 1.4% of purchasing power as the increase was less than the CPI. Five years later, in 2017, the increase in these benefits was 0.25%, with which the loss in purchasing power was 1.8%. However, in 2013 the increase was 2% for pensioners earning less than €1,000, with which they gained purchasing power as inflation was 1.4%. On the other hand, those who earned more than 1,000 euros had a 1% increase and also lost purchasing power.
Regarding his campaign promises to cut taxes, Feijóo defended himself: “I will lower the income tax for those earning less than 40,000 and temporarily reduce the rest of the food that the government has not wanted to do, which I believe is decisive for the shopping trolley, which are meat, fish and preserves. These are my two commitments”.