Ayuso claims Sánchez is 'infatuated' with her

Ayuso claims Sánchez is 'infatuated' with her

The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, claims that Pedro Sánchez is "infatuated" with her. The phrase, more suited to a schoolyard than a parliament, is not an isolated outburst: it is the umpteenth escalation in a power struggle that has become the focus of the confrontation between the PP and the PSOE. The chosen register speaks volumes. When political debate descends to that level, facts disappear and what remains is the jab.

The argument of sens and its double-edged nature

A school of thought holds that the constant offensive against Ayuso has a gender component: she is attacked, the argument goes, for being a woman and for occupying a platform that some consider inappropriate. It is a thesis put forward without evidence beyond perception, and precisely for that reason it works so well on social media. Weighing against it is an uncomfortable fact: the discredit is distributed in both directions and neither side has presented a single figure to support what they insinuate about the other.

Casado's precedent and why no one takes the bait

Underlying this is a warning that everyone in Madrid repeats: anyone who confronted Ayuso head-on ended up out of the game. The example of Pablo Casado, former leader of the PP, circulates as a reminder that the Madrid president is no ordinary rival. Hence the care with which many prefer to respond with mockery or simply remain silent.

The clash between the two presidents has been unresolved for some time. They exchange reproaches, attribute intentions to each other, and public conversation does not advance an inch. That's the nature of friendly fire: it generates a lot of heat and little light.