The candidate to lead the general secretariat of the PSOE of Extremadura, Soraya Vega, has expressed her confidence in winning in the socialist primaries that are held this Saturday, in which she faces the other contender, Álvaro Sánchez Cotrina.
After casting his vote in his hometown, Herrera del Duque (Badajoz), Vega has declared to the media: "We are going to know how to win, we are going to make the PSOE write the best pages of Extremadura's history again. Today a new era begins in the Socialist Party."
She has admitted feeling "emotional" and "very excited," and has highlighted the "beautiful" and "cheerful" campaign she has developed in recent weeks. "We have faced it from positivity, from the responsibility that running for the general secretariat of the PSOE of Extremadura entails," she stated.
During this internal process, Vega has indicated, he has received "much support" both from socialist militants and from numerous neighbors with whom he has been crossing paths on his journey through the houses of the town in different parts of Extremadura.
"I want to thank so many people who have accompanied us in this campaign, who have joined this project with such enthusiasm, this alliance for Extremadura that this candidacy proposes," he/she has underlined. He/She has extended that gratitude to the people who this Saturday are acting as representatives and polling station officers on the voting day.
Regarding the result, Vega has been clear in defining what she considers a good outcome in these primaries: for her, success means "winning". "This is won by one vote, so a success would be winning," she remarked.
CHANGES IN THE PSOE AND POLITICAL SCENARIO
The candidate has defended that the PSOE of Extremadura needs "to relaunch itself" and "to reconnect" with its militant base, strengthen its presence in the people's houses and gain visibility in other organizations, especially in the "sister" ones like UGT, UPA and Juventudes, with the aim of reconnecting with the citizenry and raising "the best project for Extremadura".
Subsequently, reference has been made to the conversations between PP and Vox to close a government agreement in the community, some contacts that, according to what the negotiating teams conveyed on Friday, are in an "advanced phase".
On this matter, Vega has criticized that "yesterday unfortunately we saw again how they have to come from Madrid to tell us what we have to do, to set the pace and to set the course of what Extremadura needs and that the PSOE will not allow it".
He/She has recalled that "the women of Extremadura and the men of Extremadura a long time ago learned to make our decisions, we built our identity and our own pride and we don't have to allow anyone from Madrid to set the course, which is what Mrs. Guardiola is consenting to with her Vox partners".
GENERATIONAL RELAY AND YOUTH
Questioned on how to regain harmony with youth, Vega has pointed out that within the PSOE, including Sánchez Cotrina, there is a shared diagnosis about the importance of reconnecting with young people, since in that group the "natural succession" will occur.
"We have to worry a lot about providing solutions to the problems that young people have today and about ensuring that generational change that has to occur within 10, 15 or 20 years. Giving answers to young people and being able to reconnect with them and make them feel the true value of politics, which is a lot," Vega concluded.