“We are stronger than ever,” the PSOE spokesperson proclaimed on Monday. Montse Mingueza few hours after his party suffered a real debacle during the regional elections in Extremadura, at the start of a long and difficult electoral cycle.
The spokesperson had just listened to the socialist leader and president of the Government, Pedro Sanchezspeaking behind closed doors within the PSOE executive about “self-criticism”, while limiting himself to the need to improve communication. He spoke to socialist leaders about “dirty war” in the campaign, of “dehumanization” of the candidate Miguel Ángel Gallardo and he tried to breathe optimism into the catastrophe by ensuring that the PSOE voters who abstained on Sunday could be recovered in the general elections.
Shortly before, the president had presented himself at Moncloa without asking questions to announce the incorporation of Mercedes Toulon as Minister of Education, replacing Pilar Alegria and the appointment of the Minister of Inclusion and Immigration, Elma Saizas government spokesperson.
He only added that “The progressive coalition government is approaching this stage with enthusiasm, with renewed energy, with its batteries charged and willing to fight to carry out each initiative with a desire for dialogue and with humility. And also with the certainty of having the best profiles to carry out this task.” That is, they are “stronger than ever,” even though they performed worse than ever.
The change announced by the government is only a surgical adjustment, which touches the essential and concerns only the control of the PSOE.
In this movement, there is only castling. There is no sign of rectification, change of course or understanding of the message sent by the citizens of Extremadura, nor the slightest trace of concern about what could happen in the country. electoral cycle which will continue in Aragon, Castile and León and Andalusia.
“The most urgent thing is to wait”, such is now the motto of the president, who has always distinguished himself by last-minute pirouettes to overcome difficulties.
He already spent the ball on anti-corruption proposals when his second Secretary of the Organization fell, Santos Cerdanand now he has escaped the appearance in Congress that the opposition demanded of him or the profound overhaul of the government that his second vice-president demanded, Yolande Diaz.
Indeed, the general coordinator of Sumar, Lara Hernandezexpressly spoke this Monday of “paralysis” of the president of the government.
Antonio Mailloleader of Izquierda Unida, which, in turn, is part of Sumar, warned Sánchez that “immobility is not an option in the face of reactionary advance”
In this sense, the spokesperson for the ERC in Congress, Gabriel Rufianironically accuses the socialist leader on social networks of having “ignored” the results of Extremadura: “He did not announce Gallardo as the spokesperson for a miracle”.
Irene Montero He also shed blood against the PSOE and its lack of reaction: “The PP wins in Extremadura with the dismissal of Vox. The machismo, corruption and social inaction of the government are a factory of the far right. Podemos is there to confront the right and protect rights. The PSOE will do nothing. The path is feminist and on the left.”
The changes announced by Sánchez in his government are forced by the departure of Pilar Alegria to be a candidate in Aragon and, once again, they only have a logic linked to the party and not to the policies of the Executive, nor to give impetus in critical moments for the president, the Executive and the party.
Concern in the federations
Once again, Sánchez seeks to ensure control of the PSOE federations from Moncloa, thinking about the present, without thinking about future results in the communities or the government itself.
He has already done so when he took the unusual decision – contested among socialists, particularly in the federations – of place ministers as regional candidates and, consequently, the opposition leaders in these territories.
Today he appointed Elma Saiz as spokesperson, thinking about the future of Navarre, where Maria Chivite He has problems because of scandals.
The Portavocía can be a showcase, as it was for Alegría, and a cause of wear and tear, as it was also for Alegría. Saiz has management experience in the Navarre government and now in Sánchez’s executive, but lack of political profile and, therefore, his appointment came as a surprise.
And Mercedes Tolón, the political opponent of Emiliano García’s pageis a wake-up call for the capricious regional president of Castile-La Mancha and a bet for the future. The same thing he did with Pilar Alegría, appointing his minister at the time of Javier Lamban to make him uncomfortable and prepare for his replacement.
Last October, Page spoke before the regional courts of the “operations” of the government delegation aimed at putting an end to him.
All this happens in the second or third stages of the party in federations that look at Gallardo and sometimes see themselves reflected. There is concern, even if the PSOE spokesperson considers that the party “stronger than ever“.
This Tuesday will be held the last Council of Ministers of the year and the Government, with its president at its head, will go on vacation.
About The Author
