MADRID – The campaign for the upcoming national elections is taking place at an unusual time. Normally Spaniards would vote at the end of the year. But now that they have to go to the polls on July 23, in the middle of the summer holidays, the campaign has also come a long way.
After the disappointing results of the socialists in the municipal and regional elections, Prime Minister Sánchez decided to hold the elections in the middle of the summer. This also means that politicians have to campaign in the hottest months of the year and adapt their campaigns to the temperatures.
Blue Summer
The PP has launched its first election video with a slogan that clearly expresses the party’s intent: The Conservatives have dubbed their campaign ‘Verano Azul’ (Blue Summer), using the music from the iconic TV series of the same name. The spot focuses on the sand, beach, sun loungers, suitcases and blue company umbrellas, fitting for elections that take place in the middle of summer.
Borja Sémper, the spokesman for the PP’s campaign, presented this campaign barefoot from the Puerta del Hierro sports centre facilities in Madrid, where he hopes to “return in September with one less problem”.
Llega el verano que estábamos esperando. #VeranoAzul💧 pic.twitter.com/rsfqrB4Hcv
— Partido Popular (@ppopular) June 22, 2023
The Partido Popular is convinced that Pedro Sánchez brought the elections forward “to surprise us while we are on vacation”, but they believe that “it is possible to enjoy the summer and vote at the same time”.
Enthusiastic campaign
Sémper also stressed that ‘Verano Azul’ is not Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s election slogan, but “music and a message that support an enthusiastic campaign”, because “you can talk about serious and important things in a friendly way”.
‘Wind from the left’
The PSOE general secretary responded to the PP’s video with his own video. The socialists have published a video in which blue umbrellas are blown away by a strong ‘left wind’, with the PP tune in the background. Other socialists published similar images.
https://t.co/vyj56hv8R3 pic.twitter.com/zxc7IRH1EZ
— Víctor Camino (@VictorCaminoVlc) June 22, 2023
According to the socialists, these videos represent “the wind from the left blowing away the electoral aspirations of the PP”. As indicated, the PP wants to “take advantage” of the fact that “half of Spain is going on vacation” and therefore want to “make the summer very present”.
Following the socialists’ actions, numerous jokes and memes have appeared on social media on the theme of umbrellas.
