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The Andalusian government has now finished the time when it spent the most effort to absorb the shocks caused by the healthcare crisis in breast cancer screening. Juanma Moreno, president of Junta, used the state-of-the region debate, which was the last one of his current term in office, as a way to say goodbye to that difficult period and usher in a brand new era, where he is clearly on the offensive. This new era will culminate in the regional elections that are scheduled to take place soon.
Since the breast cancer screening crisis hit the headlines at the end of September, the opposition on both sides of the political spectrum believed they had found, for the first time since the political shift in Andalucía to the PP party, a breach through which they could begin to undermine the hegemony that Juanma Moreno has managed to build in recent years, which resulted in the absolute majority that he and the People’s Party obtained in 2022. From the left, they attributed all the problems in Andalucía’s healthcare service to an alleged privatisation process of this public service. Vox presented this problem as proof of the PP’s alleged management ability, which is a total fiction. It was also argued that their model, while painted in a different color, is the same as that of socialists.
The Junta has been limiting its narrative in recent months to announce the measures taken to address the healthcare crisis. This ranged from an initial plan of shock to an announcement to turn the healthcare system inside out and upside-down to fix it.
Moreno has made it very clear at the debate that the defensive phase of his campaign is over. He now wants to go on the offensive. On the road to the elections, Moreno will defend his Junta’s management record over the past few years. It applies in all areas but especially to the healthcare. There is a feeling within the ruling party that the opposition has missed the opportunity.
What is the best time to buy?
The spokesperson for the regional government announced the date for the State of Region debate the same day the face masks’ case in Almeria was brought to public attention. This is a situation involving top PP officials in that province. It was also a sign Moreno would not be avoiding the issue.
Moreno began his speech by boasting about his seven years as Junta President.
Moreno, as part of his strategy, made healthcare a focal point of his speech. He did not skirt around the subject, but instead focused on it. He first highlighted the 100 new health facilities that were built during his tenure, as well as the extensive vaccination programme (which is one of the most comprehensive in Spain), expansion of screening programs, investment in oncology, and implementation of new cancer treatments systems. He spoke about the breast cancer crisis and assured that the Junta had responded to it by strengthening the program with “more services, more assistance and more sensitivity”.
‘A blatant lie’
The regional leader also referred to accusations that the PP had privatised public healthcare, claiming it was a “blatant, categorical lie” and a “major con”.
His first speech, which lasted two hours, was a comprehensive review of his management of the Junta de Andalucía, referring not only to the current fiscal year or his current term of office, but to the nearly seven years he has served as president.
The President denounced the continued discrimination of central government with funding being the main issue.
In his speech, Moreno addressed all areas of governance and denounced what he considered to be central government’s ongoing discrimination against Andalucía, with regional funding as the main underlying issue. He also made the Deputy PM of the Spanish government, Minister of Finance and chief PSOE representative in Andalucía the target of his criticism. “The Minister of Finance and the parties that support her have abandoned this defence of Andalucía and are betraying the Andalusian people”, said Moreno, berating the socialist leader’s absence from the debate. He warned that he will raise his voice “against those who look down their noses at us” and that he will tolerate no more concessions to separatism at the expense of Andalucía.
In an atmosphere of unmistakable election-related tension, Moreno’s difference in tone with the different political groups was striking.
Hostility
The most hostile voice came from the socialist spokesperson, María Márquez, who went so far as to accuse the Junta de Andalucía of exercising institutional violence against the Amama association, of having turned Andalusians into clients and the Junta president himself of hiding behind a false façade of cleanliness and moderation. Several members of the socialist opposition group were repeatedly warned by the parliamentary speaker, Jesús Aguirre, for interrupting Moreno during his speech.
Márquez’s intervention took place minutes after it became public that José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García had been imprisoned, a matter to which the Junta president alluded in his response, ironically advising the socialist MPs to remain calm and not succumb to anxiety.
Márquez warned Juanma Moreno that his opportunity “has passed him by”, because “Andalucía has proven too much for him” and “needs a new era”. According to her, Moreno was “the president who dominated with monologues”. “Reality has debunked all his promises”, asserted Márquez, who also reproached Moreno for having done “whatever he pleased” using his absolute majority.
From the other two left-wing groups, Por Andalucía and Adelante Andalucía, the criticisms also focused on the public healthcare service and the alleged privatisation process of this service, which they believe is being pushed by the Andalusian government.
The most hostile voice came from socialist spokesperson, María Márquez, who accused the Junta of institutional violence.
The spokesperson for Por Andalucía, Inmaculada Nieto, asserted that Andalucía is in limbo because Juanma Moreno, “is only dedicated to maintaining tension and noise”. She believes that this is due to his perceived weakness because of the corruption and screening scandal. She insisted that Moreno does not care about these problems or corruption but is more concerned that the public knows about them.
José Ignacio García, of Adelanta Andalucía, criticised Moreno for having presided over a period in which “he knew nothing about the wrongdoing” and that the purpose of this legislature has always been “not to tarnish Juanma Moreno’s pristine image” and not to alter “his flawless smile”. García quoted Abraham Lincoln to warn Moreno that “you cannot fool all the people all the time”.
Moreno’s exchange with Vox spokeswoman Manuel Gavira took on a more moderate tone. Gavira, who had previously used a harsher tone during question-and-answer sessions, suddenly changed his approach. He now focuses on immigration and employment statistics, rather than healthcare.
Gavira reproached Moreno for the legacy of his administration, suggesting that he leaves behind “an Andalucía that none of us like at all”. He dissected Moreno’s government, evaluating it from the perspectives of employment, healthcare, housing, corruption, political mistrust and illegal immigration, lamenting that “this is the Andalucía you are bequeathing to our children”.
