Feijóo pledges CPI-linked pensions and a public system he will not question
Speaking in an esRadio interview on Tuesday, 13 October, the PP leader said a government under him would revalue pensions by the consumer price index and would not question the public system. The pledge came fewer than 50 days before Spain's general elections.
A pension pledge before the campaign
On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP and candidate for the presidency of the government, promised to raise pensions in line with the consumer price index (IPC) if he reaches the Moncloa Palace. He made the commitment in an esRadio interview, fewer than 50 days before the general elections, which are scheduled for 29 November. Asked whether he would raise, cut or freeze pensions in government, he said he would revalue them for people already receiving them and guarantee the system's viability for younger people who doubt they will ever collect. He acknowledged that this is hard given what he called an enormous deficit, and said the birth boom of people born between 1960 and 1974 would make it "very difficult".
The public pension system is an issue that I am not going to question in any case.
Feijóo tied the pledges to economic growth. He said the economy must grow "in a healthy way", not through more public spending or a massive rise in taxes, and that productivity and competitiveness need to improve. He also said spending that is superfluous and avoidable should stop.
Pensioners and the vote
Pensioners are described as more than 10 million of the roughly 35 million resident voters in Spain, or 28%, a share that grows with each legislature. This group leans towards the PP and the PSOE and is concentrated in small inland provinces, where pensioners in some cases make up 40% of the electorate. For that reason, the analysis notes, both the PP and Vox avoid appearing to threaten pensions. Speaking at a pre-campaign event in Huesca alongside Aragon's regional president, Jorge Azcón, Feijóo said he would guarantee updates in line with the CPI. He also said young people have a right to a viable public pension system.
For everyone, I insist, for everyone, I commit to securing pensions. Whoever pays contributions is entitled to a pension.
Vox and the Figaredo remarks
Feijóo's comments were a response to Vox deputy José María Figaredo, who questioned the public pension system. Feijóo distanced his party from that position and said he would revalue pensions by the CPI. He also reached out to Vox leader Santiago Abascal, saying both parties must be respectful of the situation. He rejected both a 'sanitary cordon' and an 'umbilical' relationship with Vox, and identified Pedro Sánchez as the 'enemy'.
Housing and the government's record
Feijóo criticised the government's housing policy as "absolutely speculative". He said that intervening in the market, as he claimed populist, communist and far-left parties do, leads owners to withdraw homes when they doubt they will be paid and face a capped price. He cited Catalonia as a clear example of the failure of housing policy. On the economy, he said Sánchez has left an economic hole that a sustainable growth model must fill.
