"If There Are No Budgets, Everything Else Ceases to Exist"

The Popular Party remains committed to the province of Alicante, the fourth largest in terms of population and distribution of deputies for Congress. The party sees potential for growth in upcoming elections, though the timing remains uncertain. This week, the Deputy Secretary of Territorial Organisation of the PP, Carmen Fúnez, visited Alicante to meet with businesswomen and listen to the investment needs of a province that demands attention, a key concern for business organisations.

- Alicante was ranked last in per capita investments in the last State General Budgets. There have been no budgets for 2024, and it seems unlikely for 2025, with 2026 still uncertain. Alicante requires investments not only in the Mediterranean Corridor but also in other infrastructures. What is the solution to this lack of budgets?

- The only solution is to call for elections and change the government. In other words, the current situation can only be resolved by a change in the Spanish government.

As long as Sánchez remains, he is utterly incompatible with stability, and certainly, while Sánchez is in power, Spain will neither have budgets nor approve the reforms needed by the Spanish people. It is evident that the only solution is a change of government, to remove Sánchez from the presidency so that this country can have the serious politics it deserves.

There is a fundamental issue: if there are no budgets, everything else ceases to exist, because budgets sustain policies and public services. Moreover, the State General Budget law dictates a country's economic policy.

I previously mentioned investments because it is true that Alicante is the most disadvantaged province in Spain per capita by these budgets. However, another significant issue affecting the people of Alicante is the fiscal burden outlined in the 2023 budgets. Without change, there will continue to be 97 tax increases since Pedro Sánchez took office. The only way to reduce taxes and secure the necessary budgets for Alicante's investments is a change of government, there is no other way.

- All this leads to a sense of frustration for some people. What can the Popular Party do beyond what it is already doing? The idea of a motion of no confidence seems to have been ruled out.

- The Popular Party is building an alternative. Politically, in our country, the only alternative to Pedro Sánchez is the Popular Party and Alberto Núñez Feijóo. We are constructing this alternative because we do not want to waste a single day when we reach the government of Spain.

Since January, we have introduced the Conciliation Law; the housing plan; the proposal to reduce taxes for farmers and the reconstruction plan for municipalities affected by the DANA with 12 billion euros of investment in major infrastructures.

And something very important: not to stop denouncing and highlighting through political, parliamentary, and judicial means all the breaches that Pedro Sánchez is carrying out in Spain.

- Is this line of opposition compatible with reaching agreements on issues such as tariffs?

- We are a governing party and a state party. Being a state party means knowing that above the electoral interests of your party is the general interest of the citizens. Unfortunately, at this moment in our country, we have a government that only looks after the interests of its president, not even of its party, but of its president. And we will not do the same, because Spain logically needs the opposite, the defence of the interests of the Spanish people.

And that is what has driven us in tariff matters. What is clear is that we have said we do not want patches and that so far what we know of the Government of Spain are mere patches, because they are financial aids and remain just that, financial aids and ICO guarantees, nothing more.

And if Spain wants to face this issue and this tariff crisis with strength, it needs a competitiveness plan for our companies, to ensure sufficient energy at the most efficient price possible for our companies and producers, and thirdly, to end the fiscal burden and taxes that are hindering and killing many companies in our country at this moment. Without meeting these three requirements, the government of Spain cannot count on the support of the Popular Party.

- Besides the meeting with businesswomen, you come to boost the party. You say that the Popular Party of Alicante has significant growth potential and that the PP in general in Spain needs to expand its electoral base. Are they always with you in a pre-electoral environment? Do you think there could be elections soon?

- There is always talk. Look, elections depend on Pedro Sánchez, who is the one who calls them. And what is clear is that the current political situation in Spain would have led to elections being called in any other country in the world. If the President of the Government of Spain or any other country cannot approve budgets, does not approve a single legislative project.

His government, the Council of Ministers, is divided and votes against the proposals he makes on issues as important as fulfilling Spain's international commitments.

In matters of tariffs or national defence, when you have a President of the Government with his wife indicted; his brother indicted; his former number two indicted, that in any country in the world would have already led to elections. Therefore, what are we focused on? On building the alternative, expanding the party's base, and calling on all those who do not want Sánchez and his mismanagement at the helm of this country. That is the attitude we are in.

Coming to Alicante is a boost of strength because the Popular Party of Alicante is a strong party, the strongest in the Valencian Community from an electoral point of view. The results are evident because we are also a governing party in the city council, in the provincial council, in the Valencian Community, in the regional government, and it is a party that is growing.

It is striking because it does not happen throughout Spain, that from the general elections to the European elections in this province, it grew by two points. This gives us hope to continue strengthening our project and our electoral results.

- I cannot miss the opportunity to ask you about the support of the National Popular Party for the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón. Will you maintain your support? What will happen if he is eventually investigated? Because the latest court orders regarding the Dana are damning against the Generalitat's actions.

- We are currently focused on the agenda of reconstruction and repair. For us, it is essential because this Community, because the municipalities affected by the Dana, I can understand that they are pending the judicial agenda and the judicial processes, and we always respect them.

We have respected them in other matters affecting the Popular Party, we respect them. The summary is open, and we will respect that judicial process. And what we will never do is make our political agenda the agenda of misinformation. I believe there are others who have been in the agenda of misinformation from the very beginning.

At the time of the emergency experienced by the towns affected by the Dana, at the time of reconstruction in which we are now. And we will never be part of the agenda of misinformation, but always in that of reconstruction. The commitment of President Mazón and President Alberto Núñez Feijóo is to move these municipalities forward, to try to approve the Valencia plan, which involved 12 billion euros of investment, and to always try to face the challenges, and that has been our attitude so far and will be in the future.