Sánchez and Feijóo's Face-Off Avoids Debt Discussion

Economy Ignored: No Debt, Suppliers, or Figures Mentioned

With forty minutes left until the start, the countdown began. A televised face-to-face debate between Pedro Sánchez and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, two moderators, and a studio. By the end, even those from opposing sides agreed: the level was "lamentable." Not for a lack of tension, but for what was left unsaid. According to a meticulous tally, not a single figure on public debt, nor on what is owed to suppliers, was mentioned.

The "Txapote Vote for Me" Catchphrase Dominated the Debate

The slogan "que te vote Txapote" (referring to an ETA terrorist) became the emotional core of the night. Sánchez demanded his rival publicly condemn it. He did so several times, glancing at the moderators with a pained expression. That's where the rest began. For some viewers, this insistence was the weakest moment of the televised duel; for others, proof that the president was losing his nerve. Reactions were childish, some wrote, inappropriate for someone who has led the government for five years.

Feijóo's Evasiveness and the "Galician Factor"

There's a strange consensus: regardless of political affiliation, the PP candidate is acknowledged for his ability to sidestep. "The Galician knows how to dodge," even voices not known for their sympathy repeat. Evasiveness—that short, slippery response, neither here nor there—worked better than aggressive confrontation. When Sánchez accused him of misusing the "Falcon" jet, Feijóo retorted: "No, you're the one who misuses it." An exchange that, according to the dominant narrative of the night, left the president "bruised".

The Economy That Didn't Show Up

Here lies the fundamental problem, and the reason why a face-to-face debate ends up as an economic discussion. According to a count circulating among the most meticulous, unpaid supplier bills range between 110 billion and 150 billion euros. Debt servicing is already around 31 billion euros annually and growing at a rate of 5 billion euros per year; with projected rollover, it could exceed 50 billion euros in four years. Of all this, not a word was spoken.

Interruptions, Pegasus, and Segarro

The duel also touched on foreign policy: the Sahara and Segarro, with Feijóo pressing and Sánchez defensive, and the Pegasus spyware case looming over the exchange. What was recurrent, however, were the president's interruptions. "Can I speak?" repeated to the moderators, became the gesture of the night. And the meme. Because the meme, this time, was the true protagonist.

Who Won the Face-Off?

Most commentary leaned towards Feijóo. It's wise to be skeptical of the hype. Winning a televised debate doesn't equate to governing: we've already seen a candidate with more votes left outside La Moncloa. Some also argue that SUMAR might have gained votes from disillusioned left-wing voters. And in the background, a rumor that sounded like a joke: a possible technocratic government with De Guindos from the fourth quarter of 2023, given the damage that rising interest rates could cause.

Let no one be mistaken. The number that summarizes the night didn't come from the studio: according to the circulating tally, about 31 billion euros per year is what Spain already pays just to service its debt, and no one mentioned it on camera. That is also winning the face-off.