The negotiations to build a confluence candidacy in the alternative left to the PSOE enter a decisive phase. The deadline (Friday at 11:59 p.m.) looms on the horizon and no one involved wants to rush, chastened by what happened with the grotesque outcome of the candidacy for the Andalusian elections. The problem is that this new process to achieve “unity” under the Sumar brand is progressing late, according to the sources consulted, that is, that at this point in the conversations there are still essential issues open, such as the configuration of the lists.
Among other things, because the inclusion of Irene Montero and Pablo Echenique in starting positions in the candidacy arouses strong opposition in a large part of the parties involved in the multilateral negotiating table. They argue that they are figures that right now subtract more than add and that, also, condition the attempt to present a renewed and attractive political project. Díaz has flagged a style that abandons “noise”, but both are marked by it.
Pablo Iglesias accused this Monday Más Madrid, comunes and Compromís of vetoing the entry of Podemos on the lists. «There are three territories, where there are three political forces that are openly saying 'with Podemos, no': Madrid, the Valencian Community and Catalonia.. There are three territorial parties in Madrid, Valencia and Catalonia (for Más Madrid, Compromís and Catalunya en Comú), which say 'we are here alone'. As long as that is the case, as long as there are those who say I can do it myself and I don't need anyone else, it is very complicated, “said the former secretary general of Podemos in an intervention on Hora 25, de la Ser.
He explained that the veto is total because these political forces “are saying that they are going alone” in their respective constituencies, without there being leaders or members of Podemos. “I think that in the other territories the agreements can advance, but there are problems with these three organizations “, said.
Iglesias criticized that this attitude of Más Madrid, Comunos and Compromís “is not realistic and loses sight of the moment of exceptionality”. “No one should assume that position of absolute self-sufficiency,” he charged.. The former secretary general denounced that it is not possible to veto anyone and warned that “every time vetoes are put on the table, things do not work out.”
Regarding this issue, Podemos shows that it is far from willing to give in on this issue, which is a non-negotiable issue, and plays its cards to shield its candidates. “Exclusions torpedo unity,” warned yesterday one of the spokespersons for the national leadership, Isa Serra. A few hours earlier, Iglesias was already warning against this “dynamic” of “revenge” and “pressure” so that Montero stays “off” the lists for Congress.. “I want my teammates to know that leading has more to do with being generous than trying to humiliate or put someone under the table football,” he said on RAC1.
Sumar's partners press and Yolanda Díaz lets the matter run. On Friday, questioned in this regard, she transferred to the Minister of Equality the “question” of whether or not she should go on the electoral lists. A debate that was fueled in terms of pressure by the announcement by Alberto Garzón (IU) to give up appearing at 23-J to “promote a renewal of faces.”
Meanwhile, the intellectual space closest to Sumar strongly takes sides. The philosopher Santiago Alba Rico wrote a harsh article yesterday in Público on the detriment of incorporating Podemos whose presence in the coalition -he sentenced- contributes to “losing”. Among other reasons because its leaders had become “toxic.”
Against the eccentricities of Podemos
The number of open issues does not invite us to think about an imminent pact, no matter how much the different parties intend to self-impose Wednesday as the date to reach an agreement. Because it then has to go through the different management bodies. There are even forces that should submit it for consultation among its militants, although the rush of the calendar casts many more doubts than certainties that this could happen before the coalition is registered.
It is known that among the issues that are negotiated are the electoral lists, the distribution of the money that the coalition will receive throughout the legislature, the number of advisers for each party, the governance of the coalition, the positions of spokespersons…. In short, the distribution of power of what Sumar will be. However, another issue has also surfaced that could go more unnoticed but that has its substance. There are allies of Sumar who are pressing to get the hands of Podemos out of the electoral campaign and thus prevent them from breaking the discursive line that Díaz builds with eccentricities, harsh tones or attacks that have nothing to do with the lines of the project like the ones he leads We can against journalists and the media.
They are well-founded fears. The IU knows it well, that in this campaign for the regional and municipal elections it ran into t-shirts and canvases against the brother of Isabel Díaz Ayuso or with a poster against Florentino Pérez. All these actions were carried out unilaterally by Podemos and changed the axis of the campaign in the last week.
One of the parties that has stated that it does not sound different is the Communist Party (PCE), which among its conditions is that there be “a unitary campaign in terms of speech and image”. In other words, that each one does not go his own way. Quite a few of the forces that negotiate feel very uncomfortable with this style of Podemos, which is more aimed at a niche than at having a transversal vocation. The first that evidences it is Díaz herself. His campaign on 28-M seemed like that of another party due to the content and tone. And Podemos returned it to him, complaining that he did not want a “comfortable” left. “We do not want to look like the PSOE,” Iglesias warned him.
Sumar announced yesterday the signing of Pablo Bustinduy, one of the main errejonistas referents in the direction of Podemos when he was in the party, for the campaign team. His recovery for the front line shows where Diaz is going and what is the conception he has for the coming weeks: positive messages, with a lot of substance and form but from a more friendly and moderate style. Adding intellectual muscle incorporates that fled from Iglesias.