THREE of Spain’s main left-wing parties have struck a last-minute deal to back a single candidate at next month’s Andalucian elections in an effort to oust the incumbent Partido Popular (PP) government.
Podemos, Sumar and Izquierda Unida (IU) will run under the banner Por Andalucia ahead of the vote on May 17, called by regional president Juanma Moreno two weeks ago.
The agreement between the parties was officially unveiled after tense last-ditch negotiations on Good Friday – the final day to register coalitions.
Under the terms of the deal, the parties will unite behind IU federal coordinator and Communist Party member Antonio Maillo as the candidate for president, attempting to overturn the overall majority secured by Moreno and the PP in 2022.
The IU will top candidate lists in Sevilla, Malaga, Cordoba, Granada and Almeria, Sumar will head Cadiz, the minor Iniciativa del Pueblo Andaluz will lead Huelva and Podemos will top the list in Jaen.
However, many Podemos supporters have been left aggrieved by the allocation of candidates under the Por Andalucia banner.
“Podemos has decided to accept the coalition agreement, despite believing it does not reflect our political weight, because today it is more important to defend public healthcare and housing than any party calculation,” party leader Ione Belarra said in a statement.
She added: “We are taking this decision out of political responsibility and with the conviction of continuing to build a strong and courageous left-wing alternative to challenge the right and defend the rights of the people of Andalucia.”
In the 2022 elections, Por Andalucia secured 7.7 per cent of the vote and five seats in the regional parliament.
The PP are widely expected to maintain their existing majority, with recent polls suggesting they will receive around 43 per cent of the vote share – the same figure they received four years ago.
That is likely to be well ahead of the PSOE with 22 per cent and far-right Vox with 16 per cent.
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