During his recent visit to Almería, as part of the campaign for the regional elections, Zapatero endorsed the regularization of immigrants and expressed pride in policies that allowed half a million foreigners to contribute to Social Security. He stressed that having undocumented workers amounts to slavery and that a developed country cannot afford xenophobic undertones.
“"For me, the only undisputed thing in democracy is the defense of human dignity, and even more so for those who come from nothing to have a little."
The former leader also addressed the Andalusian political landscape, anticipating that the absolute majority sought by the current president will not materialize, leading to a "politically interesting" scenario. He highlighted the importance of public healthcare and dependency care as central themes of the electoral campaign, criticizing the waiting list data in Andalusia.
Regarding housing, Zapatero acknowledged the complexity of the issue, especially for young people and low-income workers, and suggested the need for a broad social and cultural debate on property and rental models. He mentioned the experience of Catalonia and Barcelona with price caps as a possible avenue to explore.
“"I have never seen María Jesús Montero think of any other ambition than the general interest, the party, and the collective project."
Finally, the former Prime Minister positively assessed the career of María Jesús Montero, emphasizing her focus on the general interest and her management of public finances under adverse conditions. He also reviewed the history of the PSOE in Andalusia, crediting it with the modernization and progress of the community, although he acknowledged that the future is what truly matters.
