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First Spanish election debate takes place without PM Rajoy

Xinhua, December 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

The first party leaders' debate ahead of the forthcoming Spanish general election on Dec. 20 took place Monday without any representative from the ruling People's Party (PP).

The debate between the leaders of the Socialist Party (Pedro Sanchez), Citizens (Albert Rivera) and Podemos (Pablo Iglesias) was organized by the El Pais newspaper and took place with a conspicuously empty stand set aside for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Rajoy had refused to attend the four-way debate, just as he has refused to attend the televised debate between the four party leaders scheduled for Dec. 7.

El Pais refused PP's offer of having Deputy Prime Minister Sanez de Santamaria appearing in their debate.

Rajoy opted to appear on TV network Tele 5 to give a face-to-face interview. Endit