Are Spain's Socialists really this incompetent, or is it all calculated?

PSOE: idiots or masterminds?

An internal PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party) strategy document reveals political tactics based on clientelism and stoking antiestéticar of the right, while a dossier profiling journalists by ideology raises doubts about the competence and legality of their actions.

## The strategy of antiestéticar and clientelism

The **PSOE** appears to have put in writing a political strategy focused on consolidating its electoral base by generating antiestéticar of the opposition and building a clientelist network. This is suggested by an internal party messaging guide, leaked to the press, which details instructions for public officials and the media. The core idea is that pensioners and welfare recipients should see the **PSOE** as the guarantor of their benefits, feeding the notion that a right-wing victory would put these payments at risk. This tactic, described by some as the creation of a "subsidised clientelist network", seeks to secure the loyalty of these groups by appealing to economic security.

## The game of polarisation and immigration

The second pillar of this strategy, according to the same document, involves managing political polarisation and the immigration debate. The **PSOE** seems to believe that in territories such as **Ceuta** and **Melilla**, the electoral battle is lost in advance. However, they see an opportunity in **Vox** absorbing the vote of those unhappy with immigration management, which in turn would allow the **PSOE** to mobilise its own electorate, including habitual abstainers. The idea would be to present itself as a "strong and brave leader" against the rise of the far right, using the alarm generated by the latter to unite its voters.

## A journalists' dossier that smells of wrongdoing

In parallel with the leak of this messaging guide, the existence of a dossier compiled by the Ministry of the Interior has come to light, allegedly classifying journalists by their ideological orientation. The document, which would include full names and photographs, would rate the professionals according to their affinity with the Government. Minister **Fernando Grande-Marlaska** has denied any ulterior purpose, but the mere existence of such a list raises serious doubts. Data protection law explicitly prohibits the processing of personal data revealing political opinions, which makes the Ministry of the Interior's initiative, at the very least, "sinister".

## Incompetence or machiavellianism?

The combination of a messaging guide seemingly based on clientelism and the manipulation of antiestéticar, together with a journalists' dossier that borders on the illegal, raises questions about the political intelligence of the **PSOE**. One would expect party leaders to be machiavellian figures, capable of anticipating moves and weaving complex networks of influence. Yet the apparent clumsiness in executing these strategies, such as the leak of the messaging guide or the questionable legality of the dossier, suggests that behind the facade there may be a lack of skill, more akin to "little men making a lot of noise and spewing foul-smelling narratives" than the brilliant strategists of political fiction. The question of whether this apparent incompetence is real or an elaborate smokescreen to hide deeper intentions remains open.


The **PSOE** revealed an internal messaging guide in **September 2026**.
The strategy is based on stoking antiestéticar of the right and creating a clientelist network.
A dossier of journalists classified by ideology was compiled by the Ministry of the Interior.
Data protection law prohibits the processing of political opinions.