Castile and Leon: triumph of the right and retreat of the institutional “left”

The scrutiny in the autonomous community configures a panorama of consolidation for the Popular Party (PP) and a Vox dependency, while the members of the “progressive” bloc regress or fall apart depending on the case. The alerts for Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) they sound loud. Given the collapse of Podemos and the growth of the right, It becomes necessary to promote the united front and a new political alternative of the radical and consistent left.

The results

The PP headed by Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, obtained with 33 seats (around the 35,5% of votes), which implies that he won by improving in relation to the choice of 2022. It was also far from the absolute majority (42), so it depends again on the extreme right. Behind was the PSOE, headed by Carlos Martínez, that went up to 30 seats (near the 32% of votes). Vox, led by Carlos Pollán, consolidated its position by achieving 14 seats (around the 18,9 %). Despite pressure from Alberto Núñez Feijóo to facilitate the investiture without great demands, The ultra formation remains the “key” to the formation of the new autonomous government. Another significant fact was the loss of political weight and representation due to the result of the institutional left.: United Left / summer, 0 seat (2.2%) and we can 0 seat with 0.7 %.

With these results, Castile and Leon, Aragon and Estremadura are the Autonomous Communities in which the PP and Vox continue to negotiate – not without tensions – the formation of a government, while they project their expectations towards the next elections in Andalusia (scheduled for June) and the general elections, which by calendar should be held in 2027, although conditioned by the possibility of an advance.

Winners and losers

The victory of the PP contributes to its recovery as an expression of the right wing of the '78 regime, to some extent fueled by polarizing against the national management of Pedro Sánchez and the PSOE. Meanwhile, Vox has shown that it is not a passing phenomenon. As an expression of the extreme right, advances from a complementary role towards a position of actor that conditions the political agenda, puts pressure on the PP and pushes it towards increasingly reactionary positions. The PSOE of Tudanca, has gone up, but it was not enough to defeat the PSOE, for its strategy of presenting itself as a “responsible manager” aligned with the central government. The choice of the institutional and “progressive” “left” deserves a separate paragraph.

We can, IU, Sumar and the chronicle of a disaster foretold

The result of Podemos and Izquierda Unida / summer, In the words of some of its own leaders it was “catastrophic.”. More than a surprise, confirms a sustained weakening trend. The integration of these forces in the structures of the State, as well as their participation in governments that have not reversed structural reforms or guaranteed basic rights such as access to housing., has eroded his political profile. His breakup speech has been diluted in institutional management.

The fragmentation between this space and Sumar has contributed to deepening its decline. Reformism thus enters a phase of decline that, in the facts, opens space for the advance of the right and the extreme right.

The Secretary of Organization and spokesperson for Podemos, Pablo Fernandez.

More alarms for Pedro Sánchez

At the state level, What happened in Castilla y León constitutes a new warning signal for the government of Pedro Sánchez, because he failed to overcome the PP. The appeal to “fear of the right” seems to lose effectiveness as an electoral engine. There is a shift towards conservative positions, in a context of economic crisis where large sectors perceive that progressivism policies have not substantially modified their living conditions. The PSOE and its allies have been losing the support generated by their unfulfilled promises of social transformation, by not materializing structural changes either at the economic or political level.

has notand exit without breaking with capitalism and the regime

The evolution of the “progressive coalition”, today fragmented and weakened, once again highlights the limits of a strategy focused exclusively on institutional action. Faced with this situation, the calls from Podemos leaders for a simple “reflection” are insufficient. A deeper debate opens on the need for a break with parliamentary logic, the maintenance of the current order and subordination to the frameworks of the system. This is the reflection on which we invite the grassroots colleagues of Podemos to exchange opinions.. We do not believe that the solution is to recycle the policy of the “lesser evil” within the system., as proposed by Gabriel Rufián (ERC) We support the government and are inconsistent with the self-determination of Catalonia.

We need a radical left alternative

In this sense, at SOL we believe that the rise of the right and the ultra and the failure of reformism make it essential and urgent that Anticapitalists and the CUP, along with progressive expressions, breakaways, political left and independent, both state and Autonomous Communities call to come together in a united front to: support the struggles of workers and people against governments and the right, boost mobilization, self-organization, end the reactionary regime shaped by Francoism and the transition; with the strategy of the workers' government and socialism.

from now, It is essential to actively repudiate the genocide of the State of Israel against the people of Palestine and support the cause for a Free and Socialist Palestine. At the same time as promoting a great unitary movement against the imperialist aggressions of the US. UU., with the complicity of the EU, To Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and other towns, without providing political support to their regimes, to the imperialism of China nor to the imperialism of Russia that invades Ukraine.

Those of us who claim to be revolutionary socialists like SOL, Izquierda Revolucionaria, Red Stream, STAR, LI and CRT would have to promote and be an active part of a call of this type. It is a great challenge and an opportunity to start “turning the tables”.