The space to the left of the PSOE suffered its umpteenth script twist yesterday, this time at the hands of Gabriel Rufian and Irene Montero. Yesterday it was published that both will star in a talk on April 9, in line with those already being carried out by the ERC spokesperson to support the unity of the left, and the former Podemos minister even said in an interview that it would be “a good idea” to attend the next general elections together.
The movement, which seeks a coup d’état after the poor electoral results in Castilla y León, in which it was seen that a useful vote is grouping around the PSOE, has caught the majority on the wrong foot and generates, for the moment, more doubts than certainties.
One of the most notable unknowns is that From those around Gabriel Rufián himself, they rule out that it is an electoral gesturebut Podemos does insist on leaving that door open. The truth is that for the purple ones it would be very good news, since they are missing in Catalonia after their break with the Commons, which are integrated into Sumar.
Irene Montero’s party could also take advantage of the brand that Rufián represents not only in Catalonia, but also in the rest of Spain. He is a character that left-wing voters tend to like and who would rival in popularity with other candidates to lead the space. In fact, the CIS published its March barometer this week and it appeared that Sumar voters prefer Rufián as president of the Government over Yolanda Díaz.
What is not entirely clear is what Rufián gets out of it. These gestures are not agreed upon with their party and ERC has already distanced itself on multiple occasions from the large plurinational coalition proposed by its spokesperson in Congress, just as they have also been ruled out by other forces such as Bildu. This matter has caused a small internal crisis in the Catalan independence party, with voices calling for his expulsion. It is true that these types of movements facilitate, in the future, a hypothetical race outside of ERC.
This approach is striking, because Rufián already participated in Madrid in a talk with Emilio Delgado, from Más Madrid, and the event was disdained by the purple ones. “If the whole approach is one of calculation in the electoral law, of parliamentary mathematics, of candidacy with more electoral options, then it is clear what the conclusion will be in the end. It is that we must support the PSOE and that we must vote for the PSOE because it is the largest candidacy,” said Ione Belarra, general secretary of Podemos.
Now, Podemos sources assure that Irene Montero and Gabriel Rufián have always maintained contact and that the act arises from the conviction, “on the part of both, that we must make a move so that the left can recover its self-esteem.” “We can ask me to do everything we have to do so that the left is strong for when they call general elections,” Montero added yesterday.
Meanwhile, in Sumar they wait on the sidelines waiting to see what happens. Different sources from the parties that make up the coalition assure that they are closely following the way in which Rufián’s proposal is materializing and do not dare to rule out future alliances. What they do emphasize is that they are surprised by Podemos’ participation in all this, since they understand that It is the purple ones who have no interest in attending together.
For now, they continue to focus on their internal processes to finish relaunching the new Sumar and incorporating new alliances. “We are also listening and seeing how Gabriel’s proposal is evolving. In the end, these acts also clarify a little more what is proposed, so great,” says a source.
What Rufián proposed is a joint candidacy with a concise electoral program, with just four points that serve as a lighthouse, and that province by province be studied which list could work best. Thus, competition between parties in the same territory would be limited. The problem is that some, like the ERC itself and the Comuns, share territorial scope, which will generate friction.