Javier Fernández: "Neither the PSOE nor Spain ever break"

He is one of the Andalusian socialist leaders with more projection once the stage of Susana Díaz is closed and the one with the most territorial power in the autonomous community after the municipal elections in May. Framed in the sector related to Sánchez that today controls the Andalusian socialism, he is secretary general of the PSOE of Seville, one of the groups that historically has exercised more influence at the federal level, as well as mayor of La Rinconada and president of the Diputación.

Will there be an amnesty law to satisfy Catalan separatism in the negotiation of the investiture? To begin with, it should not be forgotten that we are now in the time of Feijóo, although he acts more as an opposition than as a candidate for investiture. He is disrespecting the Spaniards, his own party and the mandate of the Crown. That, when it is not dedicated to promoting a kind of transfuguismo in the search for support. And transfuguismo is corruption. I agree. And, if an amnesty law is negotiated, what will be your position? The Socialist Party is exploring all possibilities to generate a government within the framework of the Constitution. We have spoken of dialogue, we have spoken of coexistence and we have spoken of stability within the constitutional framework. But there are many leaders within the PSOE who are showing their concern about the possibility of an amnesty law and even about the possibility of negotiating a redefinition of a new state of asymmetrical autonomies. Let's see, they are two different debates. The Andalusian PSOE has always said that in Andalusia we do not want to be more than anyone else, but not less than anyone else. That is to say, for us there are red lines when addressing issues that have to do with territorial equality and the rights and obligations marked by the Constitution of all Spaniards, wherever they live. That is the line that has marked the secretary general of the PSOE of Andalusia and from there we can not and should not or want to move. As for the amnesty law, within the constitutional framework you can talk about everything.Are there no red lines with amnesty, then? Our red lines are dialogue and coexistence. A president has the right and the obligation to try to achieve a climate of coexistence, a scenario of concord among all Spaniards. This is not about Puigdemont, but about seeking a global agreement of coexistence with a large part of Catalonia that must be favored to feel integrated. What cannot be is that, when the PSOE talks to the nationalist parties, then we burden Spain, but, if it is the right that needs its support, then it refers to them as "patriotic peripheral nationalisms". Not all the criticisms come from the PP. There are some socialist referents, some barons in office, who have positioned themselves against it. Is there a risk of rupture in the Socialist Party? This is a very democratic party, the most democratic there is. Well, this week we have witnessed the expulsion of Nicolás Redondo Terreros.Look, this party has undergone some internal primary battles, with 200,000 militants throughout Spain. And during those processes we have split into two and three pieces but the party has never been broken. Nicolás Redondo left the party before he was fired, because he had long been in ideological political positions in the antipodes of the positions of the Socialist Party. Military in the PSOE requires two things: that one identifies ideologically with most of its postulates and also a minimum discipline and a minimum respect for the leaders who have to direct the interests of an organization that has 144 years of history at all times. Felipe González remembers that Nicolás Redondo 'father' had mounted a general strike and that it did not cross his mind to take away the PSOE card. Was that a more plural PSOE? Times have changed for everyone. The Socialist Party of hace 144 years is not the Socialist Party of 30 years ago and it is not the Socialist Party of today. We have evolved with the times. And also the socialist leaders of the 80s had to make very hard decisions for this country: industrial reconversion, entry into NATO. The change of opinion of those leaders about NATO raised a part of the organization that had a more pacifist profile. But there was a strong internal debate and the PSOE was not broken. The PSOE is like Spain: it never breaks. We analyze, discuss and listen to our elders but we do not always agree with what they say. In any case, can the expulsion be understood as a warning to sailors? Let's see, it's not the same. In the case of Nicolás Redondo, it rains on wet. If you have come to participate in rallies of Isabel Díaz Ayuso! The Socialist Party does not do internal purges. Now, when you are part of an organization, even if it is Caritas or the AMPA of the school, there are statutes to assume. And we can also expect a minimum commitment to the ideology of that organization. The PP of Juanma Moreno seems willing to give warmth to the sociological heritage of felipismo. Moreno Bonilla exercises much more as president of the PP than as president of Andalusia. In these five years he has put more effort into confrontation than in the search for solutions to the great problems of the community. Juanma Moreno is a right-wing president and proposes right-wing policies. No one from the Socialist Party can identify with Moreno Bonilla's policies. And to hear him say that he was moved by a González rally in La Malagueta is the height of posturing. Well, it seems to be working for him. Have you analyzed the Juanma Moreno phenomenon well? Look, we do the analysis by looking at ourselves. The PSOE, in the last general elections in Andalusia, with 1,450,000 votes, has shown that it has much more than an electoral floor. There are a lot of people out there waiting for us and, when we are able to send a message of hope, those citizens look for the ballot of the Socialist Party, because they know that it is the party that best represents them. Many citizens have long been angry with the PSOE and Juanma Moreno has been able to take advantage of that situation, obviously. But people are beginning to realise that they have done nothing to improve their lives, because there are no employment plans, because the roads are made of foxes and because neither primary care nor health waiting lists are better today than they were five years ago. Managing is not taking the Next Generation funds and removing the logo of the Government and the EU to put the logo of the Board. The Andalusian PSOE has passed a desert crossing, and has also scored some own goals. But he has begun to recompose his space and his project.Does Pedro Sánchez make it difficult for the sanchistas? I say this because many socialist mayors believe that they have lost votes because of the national debate and not because of their management. Everything affects of course, in one way or another. But the one who has lost the elections in his people and seeks responsibility outside, that is a bad loser. There are many towns in the province of Seville, such as Alcalá or Dos Hermanas, where we have grown up. Politics is increasingly complex and difficult to explain some issues. But Pedro Sánchez and the policies of his government are today the main asset of the Socialist Party.s give a blank check to Pedro Sánchez, because his commitments during the duration of the electoral campaign. And I refer again to the territorial debate and amnesty. Governing is very complicated and doing so with such a fragmented Parliament is even more complicated. No political ruler gets up in the morning saying: let's see how I give the can to the Spaniards today. But sometimes you have to choose between a bad solution and an even more bad one. Does anyone think that Zapatero wanted to lower the salary of civil servants by 5%? No. But you had to choose between that or let Spain be intervened. The question to ask is: Is Catalonia better today than it was 5 years ago? The independence movement is at its lowest levels in the history of Catalonia.But it has more capacity to influence decision-making. We'll see about that. The Popular Party also had the opportunity to try to solve the territorial problem and did not do so. Now he is not entitled to ask for anything. The right still thinks that power belongs to it, like the anthem, the Constitution or the King. And that when the socialists govern it is a kind of anomaly. You represent the most powerful federation of the PSOE and yet you give the impression that the voice of the Andalusian PSOE is today less strong than ever, perhaps because of its alignment with the official discourse of the party. The Andalusian PSOE has always been in the official line. The PSOE of Andalusia has always played as the backbone of the PSOE of Spain. The most loyal general secretary, more aligned with the federal theses and who has most consolidated the projects of the PSOE in Spain has been Manolo Chaves. And nobody has questioned then the alignment that existed between the PSOE of Andalusia and the PSOE of Spain. People have the right to disagree, but also to agree. And we are convinced that the best thing that can happen to Spain is that there is a progressive government. Is Juan Espadas' leadership in question? Not at all. He is the secretary general because he won a democratic and legitimate primary. And I think it has been gaining solvency and solidity. The eight provincial secretaries have closed ranks around his leadership and around his discourse of the equality of the territories. That flag is ours and we will never let go of it because we believe in it.Why does Seville have so much delay in essential infrastructures? Look, the project of the SE-40, which is the one that has to articulate the Great Seville, had the PP seven years stored in a drawer. We are going to press from the Socialist Party to the Government of Spain so that the deadlines are met. In the period 2028-2030 it should be complete. The investment of the Metro has also been unblocked, which would not have been possible without the Government of Spain. And we have urgency to develop new areas of logistical opportunity and a public housing plan that provides solutions for our young people. The Provincial Council of Seville has a budget of 535 million euros and we have to be able to change realities. Malaga has become a very powerful brand in attracting investments and projects. Is there anything to learn from your model? Malaga and Seville have complementary projects because one has potentialities and singularities that the other does not have. I think the Seville brand is very consolidated in the tourism field. The challenge is to project the business brand of Seville. You have to show that Seville is the best place to invest.

• PSOE
• Seville
• Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla
• PP
• Pedro Sanchez
• NATO
• Government of Spain
• José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
• Juan Espadas
• Isabel Diaz Ayuso
• Susana Diaz
• Amnesty