The until now maximum responsible for Podemos in Aragón, Ricard Mitjana, has submitted his resignation and abandons all his internal positions in the organization, citing a chain of disagreements between the state leadership and the regional one that, as he has explained, made his permanence at the head of the party in the community unfeasible.
"No one from Madrid can tell us what we have to decide in Aragón," he stated, emphasizing that he believes the time has come to "turn the page," "not hinder the electoral campaign," and seek other political spaces from which to continue working for the Aragonese left.
In statements to Europa Press, Mitjana framed his departure in an accumulation of internal clashes experienced during his term. "It has been a series of disagreements that have been occurring during the time we have been in the leadership, both with the state and with part of the leadership here, in the regional," he pointed out.
However, the already former regional coordinator has refused to specify episodes or specific situations to avoid interfering in the campaign: "I do not want to hinder the whole process that may come now because we have a lot at stake in these elections."
In the letter with which he formalized his resignation, Mitjana details that he left all his organic positions on October 7, after announcing that he would run in the primaries for the Mayor of Zaragoza. From that moment on, according to his account, the frictions with the national and regional leadership intensified, culminating in his departure, which he claims to have discussed with dozens of people.
Mitjana links part of the conflict to the fit between the state leadership and the Aragonese territorial structure. He has referred to the political negotiation process and decisions made from Madrid, although he insists that it is not the time to detail the specifics. His priority, he maintains, is that the internal struggle does not overshadow the debate on the general elections on November 29.
The future of Podemos Aragón
When directly questioned about whether his resignation is related to his aspiration for the Mayor of Zaragoza, Mitjana has categorically rejected it: "No, it has nothing to do with it."
Regarding his next steps, he does not consider his political career closed and leaves the door open to integrate into another project. His resignation is accompanied by a defense of Aragonese political autonomy, by claiming his participation in initiatives "where no one from Madrid can tell us what we have to decide in Aragon."
The immediate unknown now focuses on the reorganization of Podemos in Aragon and its presence in the general elections. Mitjana believes that the party will run in the elections on November 29, although he admits that he cannot confirm it officially. "I understand that yes, although I have no news of it," he pointed out, recalling that the primaries to configure the lists for Congress have already been held and a list of candidates has been made public.
The resignation of the coordinator occurs amid the recomposition of the Aragonese left in the face of the upcoming elections. Podemos has been left out of the joint candidacy promoted by the CHA-Frente Amplio Aragón coalition, which gives greater weight to the definition of its electoral strategy and the maintenance of its territorial structure. Mitjana's departure raises questions about who will take over the regional leadership and how the party will face the campaign.
Despite the climate of internal tension, the former leader has asked democratic forces to focus their efforts on stopping the advance of the far right. In his statement, he appeals to "all democratic political forces" in the face of "the greatest challenge to our democracy," which he identifies as "stopping in the next electoral appointment the fascism that wants to infect our society."