Spain's decline continues unchecked: no proposals or plans, just political spectacle

Sánchez's campaign kicks off with the slogan "Love in times of hate", a message that for part of public opinion exemplifies politics reduced to a slogan. The unease it generates is not merely aesthetic: it points to the feeling that concrete proposals and plans for the future are lacking.

Journalist **Sarah Santaolalla** posted an image of **Pedro Sánchez's** campaign with the slogan "Love in times of hate" on X. She added an ironic comment about what she sees as a campaign launch that is more emotional than programmatic. The post quickly became a meeting point for those who see in today's politics an excess of gesture and a shortage of substance.

## The slogan as a symptom

"Love in times of hate" is a phrase that works on a poster. It communicates fast, triggers immediate rejection or support, and gets shared without needing any further explanation. The problem arises when that format replaces the debate about what will actually be done about healthcare, housing or jobs. Sánchez's campaign turns affection into a political brand and leaves the programme in the background.

Those who criticise this approach are not asking for endless speeches. They want to know what is being proposed for the next four years. A slogan does not answer that question. And when politics is organised around slogans that appeal to emotion, the citizen looking for concrete answers is left with nothing to hold on to.

## The population that does not want to know

Alongside the criticism of politicians comes a more uncomfortable one: the idea that part of the population takes no interest in the issues that affect it. This is nothing new. Abstention in Spain exceeded **30%** in the general election of **November 2019**, according to official figures from the Ministry of the Interior. That figure does not prove disinterest on its own, but it does indicate that a broad segment of the population does not participate.

The criticism circulating on social media holds that this disconnect is not just apathy. Some people applaud ideas that should never be voiced, and others prefer spectacle to analysis. It is a debatable opinion, but it describes a real phenomenon: politics as entertainment competes with politics as governance, and it almost always wins.

## Spectacle as a political business

Political parties are not immune to that logic. A message shared a thousand times is worth more in terms of visibility than a technical proposal nobody reads. Sánchez's campaign with "Love in times of hate" fits that strategy: it polarises, mobilises and guarantees presence in the media and on social networks.

The cost of that model is the degradation of public debate. When the adversary is an emotional enemy rather than an opponent with different proposals, the space for agreement narrows. And the citizen who expected plans for the future is met with a poster. Politics becomes a stage where people cheer or boo, but nothing gets decided.

This analysis is based on the interpretation of a message posted on social media. Judgements about the campaign's intent are opinions, not verified facts.