The former mayor of Barcelona and current candidate of the Frente Amplio, Ada Colau, considers that the agreement reached between ERC and Podemos for the general elections on November 29 presents "several disconcerting aspects." Among them, she pointed out the absence of open primaries, a requirement that the purple party had demanded from Frente Amplio to articulate a joint candidacy.
Podemos and ERC sealed a collaboration pact for the upcoming general elections in Catalonia this Monday. In the announcement, both formations detailed that the political secretary of Podemos, Irene Montero, and the head of the list of Esquerra Republicana (ERC), Gabriel Rufián, "will team up" during the campaign. Nevertheless, from the leadership of Podemos, they insist that their "hand is extended" and that the "phones are open with everyone" with the aim of articulating the "strongest and broadest" candidacy possible.
In an interview on "El Intermedio," reported by Europa Press, Colau reiterated that this understanding between ERC and Podemos has "disconcerting aspects." She recalled that "they had insisted a lot in Podemos that the key to everything lay in open primaries, but their main agreement and their main banner that they have right now to present themselves for the elections has not gone through any primaries," emphasizing that it seems "evident to her that there is some contradiction there."
Colau also emphasized that this pact "does not serve to build a united candidacy" that allows for the integration of other political forces. Despite this, she wanted to make clear her respect for the decision of both parties and called for "internal" debates to be set aside to focus on "the program that unites us."
Regarding Gabriel Rufián's decision to remain in Catalonia and run only as the head of the list for ERC, the Frente Amplio candidate stated that it is "legitimate," although, in her words, "it disappointed a lot of people." "I don't understand it, but everyone can make the agreements they want, of course," Colau pointed out.
Appeal to the collective cause and unity of the left
Under the heading APPEAL TO THE "COLLECTIVE CAUSE," Colau insisted that "for whatever reason, it is absolutely legitimate, it must be respected, but the collective cause, the mandate we have from the citizens, remains there."
In this line, she has shown herself "optimistic" about a possible understanding between the different leftist forces, recalling that on other occasions there have been "conversations until the last minute." "I want to think that indeed that collective responsibility will prevail, and that the social pressure that is coming to us from the street will be what will bring common sense," she has stated.
The candidate of Frente Amplio has focused on the "very compelling" context in which the elections will be held, warning of a possible arrival of "fascism" in Spain. For this reason, she has argued that the "plural left" should be articulated in a single candidacy, because "people are asking for it as a clamor."
"It is normal and it is legitimate that in a democracy there are several parties and that those parties want to have their representation in electoral lists," she has maintained. "What happens is that this time we are seeing that it is costing too much and that has no explanation," she has added, demanding more willingness to reach an agreement among progressive formations.