Javier Izquierdo, one of the members with the most experience in the current leadership of the PSOE and responsible for studies and programs in the Federal Executive Commission (CEF), This Thursday he submitted his resignation suddenly after learning of a new harassment complaint in the party. His departure comes at a particularly turbulent time for the Socialists, as they are mired in a wave of scandals related to alleged sexist behavior at various internal levels and as management seeks to end as quickly as possible a crisis that threatens to prolong.
Izquierdo, considered one of the few survivors of the core of trust with which Pedro Sánchez returned to Ferraz after his victory in the 2017 primaries, informed the federal leadership both of his resignation from the executive branch and of the handover of his senatorial certificate for Valladolid. In a message spread on the social network manage other professional and personal tasks I’m sure there will be someone who can do it better. Always grateful.”
The departure of the senator, who had held a seat in the Upper House since July 2023, surprised various socialist leaders, especially due to the sequence of signals that occurred throughout the day. According to his former teammate Izquierdo left the socialist leadership WhatsApp group at 6:41 p.m.. Already that morning, his absence at breakfast had attracted the attention of Iratxe García – member of the executive, group leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and prominent member of the same socialist federation. In the afternoon, he also did not attend a meeting organized in Valladolid to deal with the regional lists, increasing internal speculation about a possible impending move.
Izquierdo’s resignation coincides with a new attempt by Ferraz to channel the resulting internal crisis Sexual harassment complaints against Francisco Salazar, former socialist leader and man close to the President of the Government since the 2017 primaries. The PSOE has called for Rebeca Torró’s first public appearance this Friday since she was appointed organizing secretary to replace Santos Cerdán. Torró had to announce the composition of his team weeks ago, in which Salazar would serve as one of his three deputies, but the allegations forced his departure before this became official.
The socialist leadership intends to end this Friday the crisis caused by the management of the Salazar case, in particular Five months have passed from the filing of the complaints to the intervention of the party’s anti-harassment office. This delay triggered a strong internal reaction and put the PSOE in a defensive position in the middle of the legislative period. The appearance, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in Ferraz, is proving to be a key moment in which Torró will have to grapple with questions about procedures, responsibilities and next steps to restore trust in internal bodies.
At the same time, the party’s Equality Secretary and delegate of the Government of the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, called the people responsible for the equality areas of the different federations to a meeting In-person meeting this Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at the state headquarters. According to sources familiar with the meeting, this is Bernabé’s commitment last week during an emergency video conference held after he learned of the Anti-Harassment Office’s inaction in the Salazar case.
The immediate reaction to Izquierdo’s resignation within the PSOE was silence. Ferraz has not commented another public review later today until Torró appears. The information vacuum raises questions about the political significance of the leader’s departure, even more so in a context in which federal leadership is trying to project an image of control amid the string of complaints about sexist behavior that has rocked the organization.
Until his resignation Izquierdo took on a relevant role both in the internal structure of the party and in its institutional representation. He was spokesman for the socialist faction in the Housing and Urban Agenda Commission of the Senate and also participated in the investigative commission on the management of the President of the CIS. His parliamentary career includes three terms as deputy for Valladolid (from XII
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