María Jesús Montero, new leader of the Andalusian PSOE after her only rival in primaries withdrew due to lack of endorsements

María Jesús Montero will lead the next stage of the PSOE of Andalusia, the socialist federation with the most members, without the need to go through primaries. His candidacy for the general secretary, despite his initial reluctance, crystallized after the resignation of Juan Espadas to pose for battle and the definitive push of Pedro Sánchez. It will be because Luis Ángel Hierro, the other candidate in the running, has not achieved the 12% of the endorsements necessary to fight him. In this way, when he formalizes his resignation at 11:00 this Saturday, Montero’s appointment will be automatic.

“We have not achieved 12% endorsements, so tomorrow at 11:00 I will formalize the withdrawal of the pre-candidacy at the headquarters of the PSOE Andalusia. We have taken the participation of militancy as far as our strength has given us. Congratulations to María Jesús Montero and for winning,” the university professor wrote in X.

Hierro has also addressed a letter of gratitude to his fellow candidates. In it he points out that he has reached “almost 3,000 endorsements” and they ask them to abandon the task now. “Do not think that we have made an effort in vain,” he encourages them, because now he sees an “effective possibility of rebuilding the PSOE-E and with the greatest current political asset of Andalusian socialism in a position to challenge Moreno Bonilla for the Presidency of the Board ”.

Montero act in Cártama

Just a couple of hours before, Montero had carried out her last act of collecting guarantees in Cártama (Málaga), supported by officials such as the Government delegate in Andalusia, Pedro Fernández; the subdelegate in Malaga, Javier Salas; Mayor Jorge Gallardo; or the provincial secretary Daniel Pérez. There were also illustrious figures such as Magdalena Álvarez and Luciano Alonso, former mayors of the province (Josele González, Víctor Navas, Soraya Rodríguez) and practically all the Andalusian parliamentarians for Málaga.

There, Montero has wanted to breathe energy into bases lethargic due to four consecutive electoral defeats and a style of opposition that has not made a dent in the electoral prospects of Juan Manuel Moreno and the Andalusian PP. “They say that Moreno Bonilla is moderate: do not confuse being polite with being moderate. The policies he practices are the same as Ayuso in Madrid, Mazón, Rueda… Right-wing policies, which increasingly resemble the extreme right.”