José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former Secretary General of the PSOE and former Prime Minister of Spain, called for socialist mobilization to vote on May 17th, asserting that only the party's ideas can guarantee healthcare, education, and housing in Andalucía.
At a campaign rally in Motril, alongside the lead candidate for Granada, Olga Manzano, and parliamentary candidate Paco Sánchez-Cantalejo, Zapatero expressed gratitude to the people of Granada for their support. He emphasized the importance of voting as a tool for democratic advancement, citing how progressive countries have achieved freedoms and rights, such as free public healthcare, through the ballot box.
Everything that advanced, progressive, and democratic countries achieve, they have achieved through the vote
Zapatero praised the socialist candidate for the Presidency of the Junta, María Jesús Montero, and the current Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, highlighting their economic management and crisis response. He criticized the opposition for generating "noise" and "fear," and questioned the current President of the Junta, Juanma Moreno, for not criticizing a funding model that, according to Zapatero, has benefited Andalucía, noting an increase in resources allocated to the region during Sánchez's government.
With irony, the former Prime Minister recalled that Spain is among the top five best countries to live in, leading in rights for homosexual individuals and ranking high in gender equality. He alluded to the historical memory controversy, criticizing the visit of the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to Mexico.
Zapatero stated that socialists face elections optimistically, remembering those who fought for the right to vote. He cited advancements in renewable energy during his term, noting Spain's current leadership in electricity cost competitiveness, and highlighted Motril as an ideal location to advocate for science and culture as drivers of progress.
For her part, Olga Manzano urged citizens, especially women, to trust "the PSOE of always," the builder of the Welfare State. She championed achievements such as the Dependency Law and the fight against Machista Violence, and identified housing as the fifth pillar of the Welfare State.
Manzano criticized the "deterioration of public services" in Andalucía and Granada, advocating for María Jesús Montero's presidency to halt the "dismantling by the PP" and lamented that families have to bear costs for special education or university studies.
Finally, candidate Paco Sánchez-Cantalejo called on party members to persuade socialist sympathizers, appealing to "social democracy" and urging them not to lose hope.
