Mar González has been co-spokesperson for Verdes Equo for two weekends, along with José Ramon Becerra, general director of Animal Rights. The Andalusian leader was already (and is) part of the plurinational parliamentary group in Congress, like the green party’s share in the distribution made by the different formations of the coalition.
In this new stage, not only has there been a change in the most visible faces, but the training has set a clear objective: to defend green policies “on the front line” after the different experiences in which, through the different progressive coalitions, the organization has been left in a situation of subalternity.
González highlights that political “collaboration” and “cooperation” are in the DNA of Verdes Equo, but he also insists on the need to give a boost to policies that support the “ecosocial transition.” The co-spokesperson of Verdes Equo talks about the future of her organization and the progressive space, the legislature, the resignation of Íñigo Errejón and other matters in this interview with Public.
What situation does Errejón’s resignation due to accusations of sexist violence leave Sumar and his parliamentary group in?
On a personal level everyone is very touched, at least I am; I tend to always think well of people and this is a big disappointment. At a political level I would separate two levels: that of the group, which has to process that someone with whom they share space and was their spokesperson is like that, and that is very hard; and that of Movimiento Sumar, which is now in an investigation phase. Since we are in a rule of law and there are complaints, it will have to follow its legal channel. For our part, that of Verdes Equo, what we want is to reaffirm ourselves in the feminist movement. We left the assembly with a mandate to develop an equality plan to have safe, caring and feminist spaces.
Coherence in politics is fundamental, there is no separation of person and character, we are politicians as well as people. The important thing is how the progressive ranks have reacted. A few years ago, the reaction to the knowledge of facts like this would not have been assimilated to that of today; We no longer want any more Nevenka cases, women have lost their fear. The reactions have been forceful and seamless, I hope that no one tries to make this a partisan fight, women and the feminist movement are not going to allow themselves to be used for a guerrilla war.
On the same Thursday we also learned about the case that Santiago Martín Barajas, from Ecologistas en Acción, has open for sexual harassment, and it turns out that patriarchy is omnipresent and runs through us. You have to look at the problem head on and look for solutions. It’s over now.
After your appointment and that of José Ramón Becerra as new co-spokespersons of Verdes Equo, what are the main challenges that the party has?
We want to complete the process that we have been working on for 13 years, which is to promote green policies and put them at the center of the agenda. Green is still capable of calling people, calling the voter, of questioning them, because green is the most transversal, it is an integrative political proposal that can respond to all sectors of the population. What we propose is to take the forefront of this and try to give answers to the citizens because there are many people, who are on the streets right now, who are our voters and who demand a new, transformative option, that takes the institutions to do a different and useful policy.
During the general assembly there was talk of the “lack of energy” of the progressive bloc. What do they mean and what is needed to return that “energy”?
Well, it’s part of the costs of being in Government; When you are in the Government and in a minority with the PSOE, we are also assuming the costs of a PSOE for which a population has voted considering that not only did they vote for it to stop the extreme right, but they expected it to be an engine of change together with Sumar, and We are assuming those costs of a stagnant PSOE that is more defensive and does not want to go for more rights.
However, I want to appeal to citizens that we are here to do everything possible, everything in our power, so that the PSOE is not left behind and gives the answers that we believe we need. For example, the appearance of the Minister of Housing in Congress has left much to be desired, she has not given answers and we are giving them; Even with certain pacts, which have also been in the news, which may be uncomfortable, but politics is not comfort, politics is reaching consensus and broad agreements.
I understand that it refers to the agreement between Sumar and the PP so that Congress can control the shipment of weapons and to prosecute fraudulent mortgages prior to 2011. The PSOE has expressed discomfort about this issue.
We are partners, not brothers. We are different political options and it can be seen in these issues. What is demonstrated is that Sumar comes to unblock the Government and take measures forward. It is clear that in the PP’s political program there is no point called democratic control of Congress over the sending of troops or weapons to other countries; There is not, they are simply using it to wear down the progressive Government. However, we believe that if the purpose is legitimate and more democratic, it seems fine to us, especially if it has been to negotiate the PP’s support for the Redal clauses.
The PSOE has also agreed with the PP in Congress and in other areas.
Clear. There are times when the tweezers are made on one side or the other and there are victims who could be either the PSOE or, in other matters, it has been us because we understood that the PSOE forgot what it had come to do in this coalition Government. progressive.
You are the representative of Verdes Equo in the Sumar parliamentary group. How do you assess the group’s situation? Do you think it has truly managed to be a cohesive whole?
We are a whole but it is clear that there is still much to do and that we have to focus more on the coordination of the policies we want to carry out. We are diverse but not different, and this is the good thing about this group. Everyone’s will is the same, that this legislature is to move forward, and this is what is important.
His partner, Becerra, also stated that Verdes Equo has been “overshadowed” by “other political projects.” Do you regret some of the decisions you have made regarding political alliances in recent years?
The decisions we have made at each moment responded to a specific context and have led us to be in situations of subalternity that were not desirable. What, in fact, we have come to change in this new co-spokesperson and in the new executive of Verdes Equo is that we are going to take a step forward, and we believe that after so much solvency, experience, it is now our turn to be ourselves, in the first person, the that we defend green policies. What has happened in the last 13 years has not been desirable, but where we have been we have influenced as much as possible to revive some parties that are not so much.
Does this mean that Verdes Equo is going to rethink the alliances or political spaces in which it participates?
Right now what we have to do is reflect on the past, take advantage of these two years which, if we are not surprised by any letter from Sánchez, are two years of electoral calm, and during this calm we have time to reflect on what we have experienced and on what we want to live. Likewise, I will give you the answer to that at the time it is put to the vote; The good thing about Verdes Equo is that the policies of alliances and coalitions are voted for by the militancy.
Do you consider that green policies have been subsumed or eclipsed by other priorities in these spaces of unity?
Undoubtedly. But not only in the context of an electoral coalition, but also in a social context. Green policies are considered secondary by citizens and it is important that issues such as housing or making ends meet are resolved because if not, people consider that to be secondary. We put a lot of effort into explaining how the issue of the climate emergency has to do with the daily lives of all people: if your home is not well insulated you will pay more electricity bills; The fact that the shopping basket becomes more expensive has to do with the scarcity of resources… But we are going to try to make green things more present. We have to explain that we are not “the ones with environmentalist policies”, but rather we are committed to a fair ecosocial transition.
How do you see the future of the left? After the exhaustion, clearly, of Sumar as a space unifying project, what are, in your opinion, the next steps that must be taken?
In our DNA is collaboration and political cooperation with different agents, I am not going to tell you about the left because it is not a term in which we feel completely represented, we prefer to call ourselves progressive because we are the ones who progress, the ones who We are moving forward, because a label limits you and we do not want the public to stop listening to us because we identify ourselves under a label.
“The important thing about electoral coalitions is that they go further because you are not deceiving the voter”
The important thing about electoral coalitions is that they go further because you are not deceiving the voter; When you realize that there is a coalition that is created quickly, rushed and is not worked with care and love, the results later are not desirable. As for our relationship with Movimiento Sumar, it is a political space with which we share a 90% roadmap, and the steps that Movimiento Sumar takes, I imagine that we will be participants in it, at the side, we will accompany them and then we will see what relationship we have. unite
Do you think there will be Budgets? Do you consider, as reported by the Government, that the legislature will be long?
Verdes Equo has included several points in the Sumar proposal on Budgets in which we put the first steps for the air conditioning of schools and for the adaptation to the climate emergency of jobs, as well as some recovery of the railway line, the train It is our weakness. We are talking about the fact that the right of students to public education cannot be diminished because there are climatic conditions that are not suitable. The law says that you cannot work at more than 27 degrees and this is violated every day in Andalusian schools.
“We call on the PSOE: we managed to stop the extreme right but we need much more”
The Budgets talk about rights, about improving the quality of life, and cannot be used as a throwing weapon in a game of politicking, neither by Junts nor by the PP. I do believe, I hope and we will do everything in our power to make these Budgets come out. We call on the PSOE, if it wants to maintain the legislature, not to stay where we are. We managed to stop the extreme right, but we need much more and that is the important thing.
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