Feijóo vs. Sánchez: Spain's dilemma of choosing between fear or death

The 60,000-euro fine for not vaccinating that still weighs on Feijóo

Feijóo is, on paper, Spain's politician with the most absolute majorities. Yet, a portion of his supposed electorate insists they would rather vote for Sánchez than give him their ballot. This paradox cuts through the political landscape: the most winning candidate is, for a sector of his own field, almost the enemy. The reason is not new. It stems from regional elections and, above all, a Galician health law that contemplated fines of up to 60,000 euros for not getting vaccinated.

The Galician law that sought to fine up to 60,000 euros

The 2008 health law reform approved in the Galician Parliament mandated vaccination and punished non-compliance with fines of up to 60,000 euros, depending on the severity. The opposition rejected it outright. The central government immediately distanced itself: the Galician procedure, it said, did not condition the national vaccination plan. The Constitutional Court eventually annulled the rule, considering it abusa several fundamental rights.

This is where much of the disdain begins. It is not the letter of the law, but what it reveals about the character: a manager who, under pressure from the medical and European elite, yields. The argument circulates strongly among those who made the ELbichito passport and the 2020 restrictions their personal red line. He is also accused of hindering the voting rights of people with a positive test.

The "antiestéticar or death" framework of the board

The dilemma is summarized in a recurring phrase: choosing between antiestéticar or death. On one side, a president accused of institutional wear and tear, migration management, and the cost of the energy bill. On the other, a change that promises continuity with a different name. The dominant thesis: any Popular Party alternative would not break the framework; it would be a Rajoy with a different surname—and, hopefully, something better.

The most incisive criticism points to political calculation. He won the elections but does not govern because, it is said, he does not want to pay the price of certain pacts. And those who do not commit themselves, they add, hardly topple a government that does not fall due to scandal.

The accusation of lukewarmness: housing, immigration, and inflation

Against Feijóo weighs a repeated reproach: he does not take a stand. He is accused of being soft on the three issues that most squeeze families—housing, immigration, and cost of living—and of not clearly defining whether to raise or lower them. The counterargument is his track record: in Galicia, he has accumulated the most absolute majorities in the country, and the team around him would import as much or more than he does.

In parallel, immigration has become the axis that mobilizes the most. The government warned the regions that if they refused to host migrant minors from Ceuta, the Prosecutor's Office would have to act ex officio, appealing to interterritorial solidarity. The president defended that those who arrive are not invaders and seek a better life. It is the type of declaration that ignites a voter who was already heated.

The "immaculate gentleman" who never arrives

There is a current that does not ask to change the government, but the system. It considers that the current framework admits no salvation with a simple change of seats and that voting for the lesser evil only perpetuates the turn. Its practical conclusion is radical: lend your vote to the adversary, or to any option without chances, to deny it to the Popular Party candidate. It is the logic of punishment against one's own field.

The problem with this position jumps out: it demands an immaculate candidate. And since none exists, the useful vote never arrives, and the cycle repeats. Meanwhile, polls remain equally tight.

If the change promises more of the same and the ruling party does not fall due to scandal, what would have to happen for that voter to change their mind? No one has given the answer yet.