Family businesses call for moderation and lasting agreements ahead of the election

The announcement of a general election for November 29 marked the opening of the 29th National Family Business Congress, held in Madrid. In that context, Eloi Planes, president of the Family Business Institute (IEF) and of Fluidra, urged the parties to prioritize dialogue, moderation, and agreements that can last beyond a single term in office.

Planes said that issues such as education, housing, and infrastructure require continuity. He also argued that businesses should be recognized as part of the solution to the country’s challenges and called for conditions that, in his view, encourage investment: competitive taxation, a stable legal framework, and confidence.

Different reactions to the election announcement

The announcement came on the same day that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to speak, but he ultimately did not attend the congress. Reports describe subdued reactions among attendees and note that some considered it necessary to break the political deadlock. Members of the IEF board regretted his absence and, according to one report, had spent weeks preparing his speech.

PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo did take part in the event. His speech was applauded, although one report noted that the applause was less sustained at the end than at the beginning. Attendees who were asked about it highlighted his arguments but also pointed to difficulties connecting with the audience. The proposals he outlined included measures on housing, taxes, infrastructure, and absenteeism from work; these were commitments put forward by the leader, not decisions that have been adopted.

One report says that businesspeople it consulted leaned toward Feijóo, but expressed reservations about the possibility that an eventual coalition government with Vox might introduce interventionist policies. That assessment comes from the individuals consulted by that outlet and does not constitute a unanimous position or a representative measure of the Spanish business community.

Political stability and the economic agenda

Calls for stability also came from beyond the IEF’s speech. Pimec called for responsibility and an economic agenda focused on small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed, while the Circle of Entrepreneurs viewed the election announcement positively. The trade unions, for their part, linked the early election to the parliamentary deadlock and argued that the ballot box should produce a Parliament capable of advancing policies.

The congress thus left two distinct threads: on the one hand, an institutional call for lasting agreements to address structural problems; on the other, diverse political opinions gathered among attendees and organizations. The election announcement and the candidates’ reception provide context, but do not make it possible to attribute a shared preference to family businesses.