PP ramps up social-media attacks on journalists ahead of elections

After Sarah Santaolalla posted a video of Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s minor misstep at the October 12 parade, the official Partido Popular account for the Community of Madrid responded with a decades-old video showing Santaolalla dancing at a Salamanca village party, which quickly amassed millions of views. The party also targeted La Sexta commentator and unionist Afra Blanco, replying to her repost of a Feijóo rally with a dismissive tweet.

Party sources explain that, with less than 50 days to the national vote, the PP has organized a broader network of volunteers, public officials and influencers to flood social media with provocative content, a tactic previously used by other right-wing parties but now applied more systematically. Officials stress that the aim is to force opponents into a defensive posture and to dominate algorithmic feeds. Analysts note that Spaniards increasingly rely on social networks for news, making such tactics potentially influential in shaping voter perceptions.