The Popular Party (PP) unveiled its candidates for the Congress of Deputies and the Senate representing Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Friday. The party outlined its main agenda for the upcoming general elections during the event.
Lope Afonso, the president of the PP in Tenerife, presented the candidate lists and emphasised that they consist of experienced individuals. He stated that the candidates are committed to raising Tenerife’s priorities at the national level and supporting the party’s political project in Madrid.
Afonso highlighted issues such as housing and the challenges young people face in gaining independence under Pedro Sánchez’s eight-year government. He also raised concerns regarding the elderly and their need for adequate pensions, as well as the difficulties faced by self-employed workers striving to recover what they have lost during Sánchez’s tenure. He insisted on the need for measures that address these concerns, asserting that the PP’s candidacy signifies hope for those seeking change in national politics.
Heading the list for Congress is Gustavo González de Vega, who expressed his “great honour and pleasure” in leading the campaign. He linked the candidacy to the goal of achieving a change in the Spanish government and addressed issues such as the lack of state budgets over the past four years and the pending commitments of the state government to the Canary Islands.
González de Vega identified housing, immigration, and support for self-employed workers as key programme focuses. He also defended the Economic and Fiscal Regime (REF) of the Canary Islands, stating that it should be respected as a right, not a privilege, and highlighted the PP’s commitment to this framework, asserting that they are best positioned to protect it.
When asked about the position of Coalition Canaria, which has rejected supporting a PP government if Vox is involved, González de Vega lamented that such a stance makes it harder for canarians wishing to end “Sanchismo” to rely on this nationalist party to facilitate change.
José Carlos Acha, the PP’s Senate candidate for Tenerife, expressed his pride in leading the party alongside his colleague Inés Vera, committing to defend the island’s identity and needs. Acha underscored his aim to contribute to changes in national politics, stating that Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s leadership offers the best path forward.
