Podemos Secretary of Organization and Executive spokesperson Pablo Fernández made the announcement at the first news conference after the left’s split in the general elections was finalized. He revealed that efforts were made in Aragón “until the last minute,” but they were blocked.
Fernández insisted that Podemos had tried to “reach agreements everywhere” with Izquierda Unida outside Madrid and Catalonia, but that “Frente Amplio did not want to,” and declared the matter “closed” in order to focus on campaigning around five priorities: housing, prices, pacifism, a shorter working week, higher SMI and the protection of life and the planet.
“What’s past is past,” he later summed up, invoking a Spanish proverb, after acknowledging that “the image that was conveyed was not good” and repeating in the first person the apologies already offered by Podemos candidate for prime minister, Irene Montero, while also making his own the apology issued by ERC spokesperson in the Congress of Deputies, Gabriel Rufián.
“Too much time has been lost talking about the parties. We have to turn the page and talk about proposals,” he concluded. However, in response to journalists’ questions, he confirmed that Podemos would stand in every constituency, even though its candidacy could take votes from other left-wing parties without translating them into seats.
He also explained that efforts were made in the Balearic Islands and Aragón “until the last minute,” but “we were blocked,” and therefore “the possibility is closed” of party representatives joining the lists led by Ara Més and Chunta Aragonesista as independents.
The spokesperson justified his party’s agreement with the PSOE on Senate lists in Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca, despite criticism of Frente Amplio over its nationwide pact, as an “exception” that had been developed “in previous legislatures.” Finally, Fernández also said he did not believe that the candidate for prime minister, Irene Montero, would give up her seat in the European Parliament for the time being.
