The Madrid federation of Izquierda Unida prioritizes the construction of a Sumar-style electoral alliance for the European elections in June, but has opened up to defend within the organization that the party present itself alone due to its disagreements with the functioning of the Yolanda Díaz's platform since the last general elections. This positioning, included in a document approved by the regional coordinator at the end of 2023 and sent to all Madrid militancy, to which EL PAÍS accessed, will now be transferred to the national level.
The approach, which comes while Izquierda Unida is preparing for a General Assembly called to elect its next federal coordinator after the departure of Alberto Garzón, multiplies the criticism against Sumar that Podemos has already voiced, although it only represents, for now, the federation. from Madrid. In fact, IU is in the Government of the nation through Sumar, it plans to present itself with this platform to the Galician regional elections and the state organization remembers that the decision on the European ones does not correspond to any federation.
“The issue is simple, the competition to decide how IU goes to the European elections corresponds to its federal management bodies, not to any federation,” summarize sources from the party's federal leadership. However, IU Madrid clearly defends its approach in an internal document.
“[Las europeas] They are an opportunity to cover the gap that Sumar leaves on his left and awaken motivation in our ranks and his political environment,” reads the documentation sent to IU Madrid. “Given the green proposal and a reformable Europe to which Sumar is linked, (…) our proposal must unequivocally support the GUE [Grupo de la Izquierda en el Parlamento Europeo]while it currently represents as a parliamentary group a comprehensive and non-reformist questioning of the EU,” he continues.
“It makes no sense for Izquierda Unida to assume as a matter of principle not to be an independent and visible electoral agent. Our proposal is to reinforce IU as (…) an independent electoral subject,” he underlines. “Izquierda Unida should not rule out or be afraid of presenting itself alone in this process if we were not able to consolidate Plan A.” [una convergencia de las izquierdas al estilo Sumar] and reach a broad agreement for these elections,” it is emphasized.
And it concludes: “In conclusion, we do not propose to close our policy of confluence and electoral alliances now, our objective is to achieve the widest possible candidacy, but not out of weakness but out of conviction in the proposal and the nature of the process.”
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The reasons for the disagreement with Sumar are varied and affect both the past (the operation of the platform since the last general elections) and the future (the difficulties that IU will have in the municipal and regional elections of 2027 if it constantly dilutes its initials with others).
Added to this is a point of friction exclusively related to the upcoming European elections. United Left, which, allied with Podemos, achieved two MEPs in 2019, including the current Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, feels identified with the European Left Group. Sumar gravitates towards Los Verdes, who at IU Madrid are seen as “centre”.
“At the organizational level, [en Sumar] Until now, there has been no intention to democratize the coalition or to favor dynamics of participation between the organizations at the local level, betting on the creation of a new party, thus contradicting the initial idea of a movement of movements,” the article reads. IU Madrid document. “In the political sphere, its nature is closely linked to participation in the Government, centered on a personalist line that is not attenuated, but rather intensified,” he adds.
“IU Madrid is unequivocally committed to the construction of a Broad Front, in total harmony with what was approved by the federal bodies,” it continues. “However, based on historical experience, we must also have a Plan B in place if, as has happened so far, no other convergence actor shares that objective, or is not willing to develop it.”
As a whole, the divergences mean that the Madrid federation is not the only one of those that make up IU that sees complications in the alliance with Díaz's platform, according to a source familiar with the organization's insides.
“The reflection affects many other territories, it is a concern that affects us all without exception, because Sumar is establishing itself as a traditional party, and not like the broad left-wing front in which IU, or Compromís, approved to participate, the Common or Podemos”, assures this interlocutor. “The European elections are not like other elections, in which you put governments at stake, nor are there constituencies that complicate your life,” he recalls. “It is a single constituency, which penalizes disunity much less. No vote is lost. And they are very ideological elections,” he adds. Although he emphasizes: “Our starting point is not to go separately, but we do not have to be afraid of it.”
“For us, the ideal is for Sumar to function as a space for convergence, but the way it is formed and functioning, we do not see that it is ideal,” summarizes another source familiar with the organization's internal debates. “We do not rule out that IU will run alone in the European elections, since the current Sumar leadership wants to guide the candidacy so that it fits within the European Greens, when our space is the left (The Left).”
There are six months left until the European Championships in June. The Galician regional elections will be voted first, and perhaps the Basque ones, Izquierda Unida reminds us. With this calendar ahead, the regional calls take priority, according to a strategist from a left-wing party, who also refers to the difficulty of facing the debate on IU's candidacy in the European elections while the party is also starring in the election of a new federal coordinator. But the moment will come, and IU Madrid is establishing its position: the ideal is a Sumar-style alliance, but if the right circumstances do not arise, the best thing is to present itself with the acronym IU.
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