Alberto Núñez Feijóo dismisses criticism while championing ‘brave’ debates on absenteeism and family reforms

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of Spain’s People’s Party (PP), repeatedly told audiences that criticism does not affect him, saying “me da igual” as he pushes what he calls “debates valientes.” In speeches at the XVI Congreso Nacional de Nuevas Generaciones in Valladolid, he defended a series of controversial proposals: a law that would treat absenteeism – which he called a “cancer” costing over €30 billion annually – as fraud to be penalised; a reinterpretation of the so‑called “law of grandchildren,” which he described as “engineering electoral” that speeds up nationality for descendants of Spaniards; and a national bill to recognise the unborn child as a family member eligible for public aid, echoing a similar measure in the Community of Madrid. He linked these initiatives to a broader agenda for youth, housing and demographic policy, promising reforms if his party comes to power. The remarks sparked further debate within the PP and the wider political arena, with party figures both defending and tempering his language.