Opposition Leader Presents Gov't Programme Ahead Of Election

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, head of the centre-right People's Party (PP) and favourite to emerge as Spain's next PM following the 23 July general election, announced his party's 365-point programme for gov't on 4 July. The programme argues for a simplification of the country's personal and corporate taxes. With the PP seen as likely to lead the next gov't alongside the right-wing nationalist Vox, observers will be watching to see if the rhetoric on new pro-business, low tax policies come to fruition.

• Bloomberg highlights other key PP policy pledges: Lower income tax for families struggling with high inflation, temporarily slash value-added tax on fresh meat and fish, re-establish the crime of sedition and original penalties for public malfeasance, audit government accounts to slash the debt burden, extend the life-span of nuclear energy plants due to be closed later this decade
• Speaking to the FT on 2 July, Feijoo did not rule out keeping a EUR3bn windfall tax on banks and energy firms, but did promise to reform the levy. Feijoo: "We have to adjust the legal risk we’re incurring...This is not the right model...[I will] talk to the electricity companies and banks about how we can ask for their solidarity and contributions to overcome the deep public debt and deficit . . . before taking decisions”.