The leader of Spain's People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has made a strategic move towards the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), meeting in Madrid with its general secretary Aitor Esteban. The meeting, the first after months of mutual distance and accusations, is meant to open a new chapter in relations. This move is aimed at the socialist government, but primarily seeks to create an alternative to the complicated alliance with the radical right-wing Vox. Feijóo publicly praised the Basque Statute of Autonomy, which sparked cautious optimism in nationalist circles and sharp criticism in the Vox camp. However, this maneuver could prove risky, threatening to alienate part of his own electorate and intensify tensions with a potential coalition partner.

Meeting after months of distance

Feijóo and Esteban met in Madrid to break the deadlock in relations between the PP and PNV. Both sides described the talks as constructive and opening a new stage, though without specific political declarations. The meeting followed a period of public tensions and mutual accusations of instrumental treatment.

Support for the Basque Statute

Feijóo's key political gesture before the meeting was a public statement: "Me gusta cómo es" ("I like it the way it is") in reference to the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country. This is a clear departure from the traditionally more reluctant stance of part of the Spanish right towards decentralization and regional nationalisms.

Strategy to pressure Vox

Moving closer to the PNV is primarily a tactical move by Feijóo in his power play. The PP, wanting to defeat the socialists, needs a parliamentary majority. An alliance with Vox is natural but difficult due to that party's radical stance on issues such as decentralization. Flirting with the PNV is meant to show Vox that the PP has an alternative and increase its bargaining power.

Risk of internal conflict

Feijóo's move carries serious risks. It could lead to a hardening of negotiations with Vox, whose electorate perceives the PNV as an enemy. Furthermore, conservative media, like "La Razón," portray Basque nationalists as ready to "set a trap" for the PP leader, drawing him into local power plays and weakening his position on the national scale.

Long-term implications

Establishing dialogue with the PNV could change the balance of power in Spanish politics, opening a scenario for a broader center-right coalition in the future, bypassing Vox. However, the success of this strategy depends on Feijóo's ability to balance the expectations of Basque nationalists with the loyalty of his own, often centralist, electorate and the distrust of Vox.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain's main opposition party, the People's Party (PP), has made a significant tactical shift by opening up to dialogue with the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). The culmination of this process was a meeting in Madrid with PNV's general secretary, Aitor Esteban, which ended months of public distance and mutual accusations. Both sides described the talks as constructive and aimed at opening a new stage in relations. Just before the meeting, Feijóo made a key gesture by publicly expressing support for the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country. „„Me gusta cómo es”” — Alberto Núñez Feijóo – declared the opposition leader, thereby distancing himself from the potentially more confrontational stance of part of the Spanish right towards decentralization. This maneuver has an obvious strategic dimension. The PP, seeking to regain power after defeats by the Socialist Party (PSOE), is engaged in complicated and delicate negotiations with the far-right party Vox, its natural yet uncomfortable ally. Moving closer to the PNV – a party with a center-right profile but a clear nationalist core – constitutes an attempt to create an alternative coalition option or at least increase pressure on Vox. Feijóo wants to show that he has more than one card to play and is not entirely dependent on the radical right. As sources suggest, however, flirting with Basque nationalists could "strain" the already delicate negotiations with Vox. Vox's electorate and activists may perceive the PNV as an enemy due to its autonomy aspirations, which could destabilize attempts to build a unified right-wing bloc. Relations between the Spanish right and Basque nationalism have a long and turbulent history, marked by both pragmatic cooperation and deep divisions. During the governments of José María Aznar of the People's Party (1996-2004), the PNV provided external support to his minority governments in exchange for benefits for the Basque Country. However, in later years, especially under the leadership of Mariano Rajoy, the PP adopted a hard line towards peripheral nationalisms, leading to strong tensions. Vox, emerging from the radical wing of the PP, further sharpened this rhetoric, making centralism one of its ideological pillars. Feijóo's moves have been met with mixed reactions. In the PNV, they were received with cautious optimism, seeing a chance to rebuild a historic channel of dialogue with part of the Spanish right. However, as the conservative newspaper "La Razón" points out, Basque nationalists may be playing a complex game. The newspaper suggests that the PNV could "set a trap" for Feijóo, drawing him into local power plays in the Basque Country – for example, ahead of upcoming regional elections – which could weaken his image as a national leader and antagonize his own electorate and Vox. Such a perspective shows how risky this gambit is. On one hand, Feijóo gains a potential partner useful for securing a parliamentary majority or at least increasing his room for maneuver with Vox. On the other hand, he risks an internal rebellion among the more conservative and centralist members of his own party and definitively alienating the wing represented by Vox, without which it will be difficult for him to effectively compete with the PSOE. The success of this strategy will depend on Feijóo's ability to precisely balance these conflicting interests. If successful, it could permanently change the Spanish political landscape, opening the way to broader center-right coalitions. If it fails, it could lead to the isolation of the PP and strengthen the position of both Vox and the socialists.

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