First election debate will decide the strongest alternative to ruling PP

Spain’s three main opposition leaders will be facing one another on Monday night in a bid to convince voters that they are the right alternative to the incumbent Popular Party (PP) at the December 20 general election.

The encounter, which is being hosted by EL PAÍS, represents the first election debate in Spain to take place online, rather than at a television station.

In another first, the contenders will take a selection of questions posed by viewers on social media.

Neither Sánchez, Rivera nor Iglesias has ever run for prime minister before, a fact they are presenting as an asset

Pedro Sánchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE), Albert Rivera of Ciudadanos and Pablo Iglesias of Podemos are also aware that for the first time in Spain’s modern democratic history, four parties stand an even chance of gaining significant support at the polls, following more than three decades of two-party hegemony by the PP and the PSOE.

According to the latest voting intention survey conducted by polling firm Metroscopia, three parties are almost tied for votes: the PP would win 22.7 percent, followed by Ciudadanos with 22.6 percent and the PSOE with 22.5 percent. The leftist Podemos comes in fourth with 17.1 percent.

The one conspicuous absence on Monday will be Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who declined the invitation to join the historic debate. EL PAÍS turned down the party’s offer to have him replaced with his deputy, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría.

The outcome of the debate will likely be pivotal to the elections due to the unusually high volatility reflected in the voting intention polls. A strong performance tonight could give the winning candidate the edge they need to inch ahead of the incumbent conservatives.

Neither Sánchez, Rivera nor Iglesias has ever run for prime minister before, a fact they are presenting as an asset to an electorate that appears to have grown exasperated with old-style politics following an eight-year economic crisis.

The PSOE is trying to sell itself as the most veteran of the parties and the only credible alternative to the PP, while Ciudadanos and Podemos are banking on their freshness and their ability to cut through the traditional left-right divide, attracting voters from all parts of the political spectrum.

The candidates will debate four main issues: the economy, social welfare, territorial policy and political reform. An additional space has also been allotted for contenders to discuss their plans for fighting Islamist terrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Until now, there had been five debates between prime ministerial candidates ahead of general elections, always exclusively between the PP and PSOE, always in a television studio, and always without an audience.

Audiences can follow the debate between 9pm and 10.30pm on Monday on the EL PAÍS website, which will also offer pre- and post-debate analysis. EL PAÍS in English will be live-blogging the debate for its readers.

English version by Susana Urra.