The former general secretary of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, argues that, in light of the last-minute negotiations on the alternative left to close coalitions, the option for Frente Amplio and Podemos to run with different lists in the Madrid constituency "has not the slightest electoral penalty."
"That in Madrid left-wing people can choose between the tandem (Emilio) Delgado/ (Ada) Colau or (Irene) Montero/ (Gabriel) Rufián has not the slightest electoral penalty," he has emphasized in several messages shared on the social network X.
The also former second vice president of the Government has highlighted the agreement reached in the Community of Valencia to run in a joint candidacy, which brings together Compromís, Podemos, IU, and ERC in this territory.
In this sense, he has pointed out that in that agreement the Valencian federation of Rufián's party is included, which will face Frente Amplio electorally in Catalonia while Podemos will support ERC, integrating the purples into their lists as independents.
"ERC in Catalonia integrates Podemos but competes with Frente Amplio but in País Valencià it goes in coalition with FA parties, with Podemos and with Compromís. Is it complex? Yes, but plurinationality is complex and the lefts are too," Iglesias has emphasized.
Furthermore, he has explained that in the Community of Valencia the unitary candidacy will not carry the Frente Amplio brand (the ballot will be called "Compromís-Front Valencià") and that this will not happen in the Canary Islands either, where the name will be "Unidad del Pueblo Canario." He has insisted that the name Frente Amplio will also not appear in the Balearic Islands or in Aragón, territories where, for now, Podemos has been left out of the agreement.
"What is possible in the Canary Islands and País Valencià may be possible in the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country, Navarra, Murcia, Aragón, the Castillas...", he has suggested, pointing to the option of configuring alliances that group the bulk of the alternative left.
Iglesias has also warned that "the approach that says 'If you do not integrate into my coalition in Madrid, I will not negotiate with you in any other territory' is what is burying the possibility of going together where not doing so is penalized by the electoral system."
With these words, he referred to the fact that the candidacy for the capital has become the main point of friction in the conversations within the left and alluded to the approach defended by the general secretary of Podemos, Ione Belarra, who urged IU to negotiate alliances in several autonomous communities where both formations have greater regional implantation.
"If there is an agreement in all territories except in Madrid, there will be not the slightest electoral penalty," he reasoned, adding that Podemos and Frente Amplio could have run together if joint primaries had been held.
Likewise, he emphasized that, after discarding those shared primaries between both spaces, it is "reasonable to make agreements without primaries in territories where the electoral system penalizes going separately, but it is not essential in Madrid."
"Hopefully in these hours, those who are preventing what has been possible in the Canary Islands and Valencia from happening everywhere will rectify and agree with Podemos in Andalusia, Galicia, Asturias, Murcia, the Basque Country, Castillas, La Rioja...", Iglesias concluded, appealing for a final effort to extend the agreements to more communities.