A new opinion column by Ibiza writer David Setbetes examines the increasingly aggressive language surrounding Spanish politics, focusing on the repeated use of personal insults against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Published on September 13, the column questions why expressions such as “Pedro Sánchez, hijo de puta” have become increasingly visible at political demonstrations, sporting celebrations and other public events.

From Political Criticism to Personal Insults

Setbetes begins by looking at the mothers of several prominent Spanish political figures, including Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, Santiago Abascal, Felipe VI and Pedro Sánchez.

The comparison is deliberately provocative. The writer uses the biographies of these women to introduce a broader argument about the way political opponents and, increasingly, their families can become targets of degrading language.

The central theme of the column is not an assessment of Sánchez's government policies, but the language used to attack political figures.

The Sabadell Incident

Setbetes refers to the controversy surrounding CE Sabadell goalkeeper Diego Fuoli during celebrations following the club's promotion to Spain's Segunda División in June.

Fuoli encouraged supporters gathered outside Sabadell City Hall to respond to his mention of Pedro Sánchez with an insult directed at the prime minister. The incident generated criticism, and CE Sabadell subsequently apologised and said it regretted the episode.

For Setbetes, the incident illustrates how political hostility can move beyond demonstrations and into completely different public settings.

The September Demonstrations Over Ceuta

The column also refers to demonstrations held across Spain on September 2 in support of Ceuta following the migration crisis there.

Those gatherings included strong criticism of Sánchez, with insults directed at the prime minister among some of the chants. In Madrid, the demonstration outside Congress ended with clashes between some protesters and police, while insults and racist chants were also reported.

Setbetes uses these incidents to question what happens when political disagreement increasingly becomes expressed through humiliation, name-calling and dehumanising language.

From “Hijo de...” to “Perro Sánchez”

Another element of the discussion is the expression “Perro Sánchez”, a nickname that has been used by Sánchez's political opponents and was subsequently incorporated into parts of the political debate, including by Sánchez himself.

In September, Sánchez responded to Vox leader Santiago Abascal in Congress with the phrase: “Yo seré un perro, pero no tengo amo”, turning an insult into a political counterargument.

Setbetes argues that this type of language risks moving public debate away from disagreement over policies and towards the systematic reduction of political opponents to caricatures or enemies.

A Warning About Where This Leads

The most serious part of the column comes in its warning about the normalisation of insults and dehumanisation.

Setbetes argues that once political confrontation becomes dominated by increasingly extreme language, society can become accustomed to treating opponents as people who deserve contempt rather than as citizens with opposing views.

He connects this progression with other forms of collective hostility, pointing to historical examples of groups being repeatedly stereotyped and blamed for wider social problems.

The reference is intended as a warning about the potential consequences of allowing increasingly hostile political rhetoric to become routine.

“Who Is Free of Blame?”

The column closes with a call for a different kind of political culture.

Setbetes invokes the familiar biblical idea that those without fault should cast the first stone, arguing that Spanish political debate would benefit from fewer personal attacks and more effort directed towards solving problems, reaching agreements and addressing institutional and social failures.

His final message is therefore less about defending Pedro Sánchez personally than about questioning the broader culture of political confrontation.

An Opinion About the State of Political Debate

The article is explicitly an opinion column, and its arguments and comparisons belong to Setbetes rather than representing an institutional position or established fact.

Its significance lies in the debate it raises about the increasingly personal tone of Spanish politics, where criticism of political decisions is increasingly accompanied by insults directed at individual politicians.

As political tensions continue to dominate public discussion in Spain, the column asks a wider question: how far can political disagreement go before the language used to express it begins to damage the quality of public debate itself?