Chaos on the alternative left. The Broad Front and Podemos reach their D-day, that is, at the end of the deadline to close the coalitions, with the political space imprisoned by anguish and uncertainty because full unity for the elections is blocked or stagnant in the majority of the autonomous communities, with the exception of the Canary Islands, where it is assured. So today is a crazy day ahead to negotiate against the clock how to get out of this mess. At midnight the conflict must be irremediably resolved. However, the only certainty that exists is that everything indicates that the alternative left is going to an agonizing outcome.
The main obstacle to an agreement between the Frente Amplio and Podemos is who leads the candidacy. Sumar's heirs propose Ada Colau as a reference or to be the person who "generates the most consensus" between the parties. On the other hand, Podemos demands that it be Irene Montero and refuses to let it be anyone else.
This battle, which has been fiercely fought this week, is decisive in understanding the blockade or semi-blockade in a large part of the map of Spain, because the situation makes it "very difficult" for there to be an agreement in Madrid. Various sources familiar with the negotiations are deeply pessimistic and even describe that the situation has gotten worse as the hours have passed compared to how bad it already was.
And why? Well, because Podemos has put its cards face up and is considering leaving Madrid and Catalonia out of the unity negotiation. Madrid to be able to present Irene Montero on its own and Catalonia because it has an agreement with ERC by which it will use Gabriel Rufián as a banner to carry the purple candidate. Here the circumstance arises that where Colau would appear, which is Barcelona, the confrontation is taken for granted.
From here everything depends on today's events. Podemos has offered a pact to IU in 10 autonomous communities and Antonio Maíllo's response is that the unity "is not cut into pieces" nor is it made "à la carte." So he counteroffers the purples with a great national pact where all constituencies are included. And he warns: negotiating with IU means doing so with the Frente Amplio as a whole.
In parallel, as EL MUNDO has been explaining, there are four communities where unity is being built in another way. They are the Valencian Community, Aragon, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. In these autonomies the alliances pivot around the territorial parties (Compromís, Chunta, Més and Nueva Canarias, respectively) and both the national parties of the Frente Amplio (IU and Movimiento Sumar) and Podemos have an easier time participating in these pacts. In the Canary Islands it is closed, in Aragon and the Balearic Islands Podemos is missing and in the Valencian Community there is a threat of two lists due to the clash between Compromís and IU.
The coalitions that are made of this type will have a life of their own and a different brand, but for practical purposes they are unitary lists.
Andalusia and 9 other communities
The soap opera on the left is filmed in 10 autonomous communities: Andalusia, Extremadura, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha and the Region of Murcia.
There are 10 and not 12 because the cases of Madrid and Catalonia are considered almost impossible by the sources consulted. Although they will push until the end to find a solution that avoids the division into two candidates.
What happens in the other 10 communities mentioned above is unknown. There may or may not be an agreement. That will basically depend on IU, which is the only Broad Front party with presence and roots in all of them. This is the reason why Podemos has ignored the Frente Amplio as a political subject and has addressed only IU, in a maneuver to seek the division of the alliance and play with environmental pressure in its favor.
For the moment, IU's response is emphatic and calls on Podemos to sit at the table to resolve differences and seek a global agreement, which does not exclude provinces or the Frente Amplio parties. This may change if a real negotiation is opened throughout the day today to get out of this blockade. However, last night there were no clues that it would happen first thing in the morning.
The interlocutors consulted trust that the hours and the pressure of the end of the deadline will move positions. What seems certain is that calls and contacts will happen today.
The day holds one more element. The primaries organized by Podemos to elect the candidate of the left announce their results at 12:00 p.m. Irene Montero is the only candidate and has said that she will make the result "respected." That is to say, she will argue that she has to be the candidate and will take the duel to the end.
Alliances outside the national mess
As for the alliances that go in another direction and that have been mentioned previously: Valencian Community, Aragon, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.
Just yesterday the first of the coalitions with full unity was announced: the Canary Islands. The brand is Unidad del Pueblo Canario, and Nueva Canarias, IU, Movimiento Sumar and Podemos are included.
At night the agreement was reached in Aragon. Chunta announced a pact with the Frente Amplio sin Podemos, which includes IU, Movimiento Sumar, the Green Party and Recortes Cero. The purple ones have hours to react and get involved. The list for now is called Chunra Aragonesista-Frente Amplio Aragón.
Practically the same thing happens in the Balearic Islands. Més has announced an agreement with IU and Movimiento Sumar while waiting for what happens with Podemos. Whether he enters or not. The candidacy will be called Ara Més.
