Alberto Nunez Feijoo looks set to be Spain's next leader Photo: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg
Alberto Nunez Feijoo , Spain's conservative prime minister on hold, says he's learning English as he prepares to take over.
Mr Feijoo appears to be on track to become Spain's next leader after his clear victory People's Party (NP) over the country's left-wing prime minister. Minister Pedro Sanchez at last week's local and regional elections.
Spain's likely next leader has vowed to repeal his predecessor's most socially liberal policies, including a law allowing anyone over the age of 16 to freely change their official gender, with younger children also able to do so under court supervision.
But first he intends to work on his English, he said in his first TV interview since Sunday's surprise election victory.
«My problem is English…I have to start learning it,» Feihoo, 61, said.
He added: “I already had an assigned English teacher who started on Monday, but now it turns out that I was called to the general election. Well, no problem.”
'Bruce Sprinter'
While on the campaign trail last month, Mr Feijoo went viral after he was caught on camera mispronouncing the name rock — the legend of Bruce Springsteen, calling him «Bruce Sprinter» during the party. rally.
However, he brushed aside suggestions that his language skills could pose a problem as prime minister.
“International summits usually have interpreters, and most importantly, I know what I want to say”— he said.< /p>
Mr Feijoo has largely kept quiet about the policies he will pursue when he comes to power, instead capitalizing on fatigue from Mr Sanchez's style of government known as «sanchismo» , and a number of reforms advocated by the socialists. coalition partners of the extreme left.
Mr. Feihuo vowed to «repeal 'Sanchismo' and 'all those laws inspired by minorities that go against the majority'.»
He also said he would repeal the «democratic memory» law passed by the current government. the state is responsible for the exhumation of 100,000 bodies left in unmarked graves as a result of repression during the Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship.
Alberto Nunez Feijoo promised to cancel 'sanchismo' Photo: Chema Moya/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Faced with the possibility that he would need support from the far-right Vox party to win a parliamentary majority, Mr Feijoo tried to present himself as a moderate conservative.
He called abortion woman's right and is considered less aggressive towards separatists in Catalonia and the Basque Country than some previous leaders of the NP.
Mr. Feijoo served as president of the northwestern region of Galicia for 13 years from 2009 to 2002, winning an absolute majority in the regional assembly four times and earning praise for his calm governing style. Galicia has the lowest Covid-19 death rate of any Spanish mainland.
Despite his lack of English, Mr Feijoo's love for the Galician language helps him build bridges with Catalans and Basques.
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His predecessor Mr. Sanchez, meanwhile, is the first Spanish prime minister to demonstrate command of the English language and build a reputation for his involvement in international politics.
But his decision to cancel the elections violated Spain's six-month tenure as EU Council President, which begins on July 1, just three weeks before the elections.
The Spanish government has demanded that Mr Sanchez speak before the European Parliament to lay out Spain's objectives its presidency was postponed from July 13 to September. It may end up with meek Mr. Feihoo delivering this speech.
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