“Face-to-face” between Sánchez and Feijóo: Framing of the 2023 TV debate

Electoral debates play a crucial role in the media deployment of campaigns, providing citizens with a platform to learn about and compare the proposals of the main candidatures and parties. Within the framework of Spain’s July 2023 general elections, the televised “face-to-face” debate between Pedro Sánchez (psoe) and Alberto Núñez Feijóo (pp), organised by the Atresmedia group on 10 July, stood out. From a qualitative approach, this article examines that encounter using framing theory to analyse the interpretive frames employed by the candidates. The study focuses on case delimitation, context analysis, and the application of framing frameworks in the electoral debate. The results highlight that the Sánchez-Feijóo debate addressed four thematic blocks aligned with citizens’ concerns from the cis: economy/employment, social policies, pacts/governability, and international affairs. Sánchez articulated a frame of continuity/progress defending his management (growth, smi at 60%, full employment), whilst Feijóo promoted a frame of change/restoration criticising instability and debt. Both resorted to frame-shifting on sensitive topics (gender-based violence, Vox/Bildu pacts), prioritising moral and emotional attacks over deliberative proposals.