On May 9, but 2016, paul churches Y Alberto Garzon they sealed the first alliance of Podemos and IU. He became known as the ‘pact of the bottles‘. Both leaders, beer in hands, toasted the creation of the United We Can space. This May 9, six years later, the second vice president and leader of the purples, Yolanda Diaz, announced that after the Andalusian elections she will begin to tour the whole of Spain to expand that same space and, at the end of the day, decide whether to run for the next general election. She will start this path with the warnings left by the difficult negotiation of the Andalusian left, still hanging by a thread.
Late last Friday, Can, UI, More Country and three other formations signed a pact to attend the elections in Andalusia on June 19 in coalition. But, far from being a reason to celebrate, it has almost been understood more as a preview of the challenges that Díaz will have to face in not many months, if he finally takes that step forward. The team buildingthe distribution of lists or even of the foundership are some of those challenges.
Without leaving the script of recent months, the vice president made it clear this Monday that her listening process is not about parties, but about citizens. Sources around her emphasize that it is about listening to the groups, attending to their proposals and their opinions. They do not want to be confused by political parties with their fights for candidates or the like. But, the truth is that Andalusia has shown that it is just at that point where the encounters arise.
last minute tensions
Since February, Podemos, IU and Más País had been looking for an understanding. However, a few minutes before the deadline to present an alliance was over, there was still no agreement. Sources familiar with the conversations place the problem in the election of the candidate – he ended up winning Inma Grandson (IU), vs. Juan Antonio Delgado (We can) -, in the distribution of positions in the electoral lists and in the division of economic resources. Finally, the agreement was reached, although it was presented out of time and the Electoral Board of Andalusia has rejected the correction of the error, so the formations are looking for other formulas to remedy this setback.
“Many times you have heard me say that these things are probably what distance citizens from political parties.“, affirmed Díaz. The vice president, although she distanced herself from these negotiations and denied that they were related to her listening process, was present during the conversations. Last Thursday she visited the Seville Fair and met with all the formations to push towards a agreement ‘in extremis’ At that time, the struggle for organic power in the coalition was in full swing.
the egos
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It was in those hours when the negotiation moved from Andalusia to the state level. With the roads blocked in the Andalusian capital, the former leader of Podemos, paul churches; the current general secretary of the party, Ione Belarra; the federal coordinator of IU, Alberto Garzon; and even the leader of More Country, Inigo Errejon, came into play to try to bring the agreement to fruition. Díaz has always said that he does not want ‘egos’ in his project and the personal relationship between some of these leaders, especially Iglesias and Errejón, was one of the factors that made a tense outcome foreseeable.
After this first test, facing a unitary candidacy at the national level, it would be different. One and the other, beyond old disputes, should share the stage and rallies. It remains to be seen if Díaz’s figure has enough weight to achieve it.