Abascal accepts Jordi Wild interview, leaving Sánchez behind
Santiago Abascal has agreed to Jordi Wild's podcast interview, and Feijóo has too, while Spain's PM Sánchez has yet to respond. The battle for the youth vote is playing out on podcasts.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Abascal accepts Jordi Wild's challenge and leaves Sánchez with no excuse
A candidate sitting down with an interviewer who has millions of young trinc is not usually newsworthy just for doing it. Santiago Abascal has made headlines anyway, and the gesture alone has turned a podcast interview into a small test of democratic resilience. The date being floated by the show's circle is **19 October 2026**, and this is where things stand: Abascal has said yes, Feijóo has too, and there is no word from Pedro Sánchez. Jordi Wild himself confirmed it on social media: "Still no news from Pedro Sánchez".
The original proposal was all or nothing: either all the main candidates appeared on the show or none of them did. Wild has ended up giving in to pressure from his audience, **99.9%** of whom urged him to drop the condition. Translated: the interview will happen, and anyone who skips it will have to explain why. In political communication terms, it is a full-blown checkmate.
What is The Wild Project and why it matters
Jordi Wild is no ordinary pundit. His show, The Wild Project, has built up hours-long interviews with scientists, athletes, philosophers and the odd politician. Its audience does not switch on the TV at ten at night: they listen to podcasts while driving or working out. And much of that audience does not vote out of habit.
The logic behind the move is the one Trump already applied with Theo Von or Shawn Ryan: candidates who want to reach young voters have to step outside the traditional TV studios. The PSOE, meanwhile, keeps talking to a middle-aged audience through friendly media outlets. The question is whether that is enough.
Abascal's calculation: young audience and favourable ground
There is one statistic doing the rounds that explains the play: **Vox is the top party among under-45s**, by a clear margin, according to a figure shared around the debate. If that holds, the interview is not a risk: it is a shop window. Abascal faces an interviewer who is no clown-for-hire, but someone who asks about Israel, the economy and whatever else needs asking.
The most optimistic reading says Abascal comes out stronger because he speaks without intermediaries. The pessimistic scenario starts from a different premise: two hours of interview leave plenty of room for error, and any slip becomes a viral clip. Even so, the consensus is that the risk is manageable. As one comment puts it: "Real balls would be going to the riot to pitch his programme and say he's going to shut that crap down".
Sánchez, the great absentee
Sánchez's absence is no accident. Spain's Prime Minister feels comfortable in controlled settings, and The Wild Project is not one. The interview would antiestéticature questions from the host and from the chat, with no prior filter. Some argue Sánchez will not go because he has "too much crap to hide"; others point to a simpler reason: he does not need the megaphone.
What is certain is that his silence leaves Abascal and Feijóo with the field to themselves. And in a campaign, that costs. Feijóo's interview, by the way, is generating less buzz: some would rather "watch a YouTube video of fish in an aquarium".
The Jordi Wild factor: from pogre to scourge of the establishment narrative
The interviewer should not be idealised. Jordi Wild once admitted having voted for left-wing parties and sympathising with Catalan independence. His evolution, like that of much of his generation, has drifted towards positions critical of the established order. That does not make him a Vox ally, but it does make him an uncomfortable interviewer for anyone not used to being questioned.
The key is the format: one-on-one interviews, no cross-debate, with questions from the audience. It is the kind of stage where a politician can shine or sink with no safety net. Abascal has decided to play. Sánchez, for now, has not picked up the phone.
It remains to be seen whether Wild's gamble was a masterstroke or a way of forcing the issue. What is clear is that, today, the board reads: Abascal yes, Feijóo yes, Sánchez pending. And the clock is ticking.
A candidate sitting down with an interviewer who has millions of young trinc is not usually newsworthy just for doing it. Santiago Abascal has made headlines anyway, and the gesture alone has turned a podcast interview into a small test of democratic resilience. The date being floated by the show's circle is **19 October 2026**, and this is where things stand: Abascal has said yes, Feijóo has too, and there is no word from Pedro Sánchez. Jordi Wild himself confirmed it on social media: "Still no news from Pedro Sánchez".
The original proposal was all or nothing: either all the main candidates appeared on the show or none of them did. Wild has ended up giving in to pressure from his audience, **99.9%** of whom urged him to drop the condition. Translated: the interview will happen, and anyone who skips it will have to explain why. In political communication terms, it is a full-blown checkmate.
What is The Wild Project and why it matters
Jordi Wild is no ordinary pundit. His show, The Wild Project, has built up hours-long interviews with scientists, athletes, philosophers and the odd politician. Its audience does not switch on the TV at ten at night: they listen to podcasts while driving or working out. And much of that audience does not vote out of habit.
The logic behind the move is the one Trump already applied with Theo Von or Shawn Ryan: candidates who want to reach young voters have to step outside the traditional TV studios. The PSOE, meanwhile, keeps talking to a middle-aged audience through friendly media outlets. The question is whether that is enough.
Abascal's calculation: young audience and favourable ground
There is one statistic doing the rounds that explains the play: **Vox is the top party among under-45s**, by a clear margin, according to a figure shared around the debate. If that holds, the interview is not a risk: it is a shop window. Abascal faces an interviewer who is no clown-for-hire, but someone who asks about Israel, the economy and whatever else needs asking.
The most optimistic reading says Abascal comes out stronger because he speaks without intermediaries. The pessimistic scenario starts from a different premise: two hours of interview leave plenty of room for error, and any slip becomes a viral clip. Even so, the consensus is that the risk is manageable. As one comment puts it: "Real balls would be going to the riot to pitch his programme and say he's going to shut that crap down".
Sánchez, the great absentee
Sánchez's absence is no accident. Spain's Prime Minister feels comfortable in controlled settings, and The Wild Project is not one. The interview would antiestéticature questions from the host and from the chat, with no prior filter. Some argue Sánchez will not go because he has "too much crap to hide"; others point to a simpler reason: he does not need the megaphone.
What is certain is that his silence leaves Abascal and Feijóo with the field to themselves. And in a campaign, that costs. Feijóo's interview, by the way, is generating less buzz: some would rather "watch a YouTube video of fish in an aquarium".
The Jordi Wild factor: from pogre to scourge of the establishment narrative
The interviewer should not be idealised. Jordi Wild once admitted having voted for left-wing parties and sympathising with Catalan independence. His evolution, like that of much of his generation, has drifted towards positions critical of the established order. That does not make him a Vox ally, but it does make him an uncomfortable interviewer for anyone not used to being questioned.
The key is the format: one-on-one interviews, no cross-debate, with questions from the audience. It is the kind of stage where a politician can shine or sink with no safety net. Abascal has decided to play. Sánchez, for now, has not picked up the phone.
It remains to be seen whether Wild's gamble was a masterstroke or a way of forcing the issue. What is clear is that, today, the board reads: Abascal yes, Feijóo yes, Sánchez pending. And the clock is ticking.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (157 replies).
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