The general coordinator of United Left (IU) and parliamentary spokesperson for Por Andalucía, Antonio Maíllo, claimed this Wednesday that Ada Colau is the “ideal person” to lead the Broad Front candidacy in the general elections on November 29, after the former mayor of Barcelona has, he said, taken the step to “show her face”.
In an interview on Canal Sur Televisión, Maíllo stressed that the Catalan leader has the support of the project's organizations and that her name not only generates acceptance within the already articulated political space, but also among other formations that could join the alliance.
Rufián is out of the equation for 29N
Asked about the possibility of Gabriel Rufián (ERC) leading that space, Antonio Maíllo flatly ruled it out. “Gabriel Rufián is water under the bridge, he says he's going to lend a hand but he's obviously not going to be the candidate for that Broad Front,” said the IU leader.
Maíllo insisted that Ada Colau's name has broad consensus, and explained that, although other organizations have not made their positions public, they do not view her eventual leadership unfavorably. In that sense, he stressed that the Broad Front seeks a candidacy with the widest possible scope to be more efficient for the registration of coalitions.
Discreet negotiations for a broad left-wing coalition
The federal leader of IU defended that his party is making “all efforts discreetly but effectively” to articulate the broadest possible left-wing coalition. In his opinion, the key for 29N is unity, because, if achieved, the right will have a harder time in their attempt to take over the Government of Spain.
Regarding the alliance announced by Irene Montero and Gabriel Rufián for that election, Maíllo pointed out that both are free to establish their agreements, although he added that they have not yet closed the door to continue talking during the three days remaining to register the coalitions. As he explained, there is still room to negotiate on shared political proposals and to gain electoral efficiency.
“The cards are on the table. We are very transparent, we want the sum of all possible organizations because that way we are more efficient and, secondly, we have an outstretched hand. The others will have to position themselves on what they intend,” Maíllo said, before remarking that “no one has yet explained to me that going separately is more effective than going united.”
No surprise by Gabriel Rufián's move
Asked if he ever trusted Gabriel Rufián as a possible reference for the unity of the left in the general elections, the IU leader replied that his organization was clear that the ERC spokesperson was going to run, so his position did not surprise them. As he specified, another different issue is the expectation that he may have generated among some people who expected a different step from the republican leader.
In any case, he insisted that the figure who today concentrates the support of the Broad Front space is Ada Colau, whom he described as a leader who “shows her face” and who has the unanimous support of the four organizations that make up the project.
The possible presence of Toni Valero on the lists
Maíllo was also asked if the Andalusian leader of IU, Toni Valero, could be on the lists for Congress for Andalusia in case he wins the internal primaries to elect the candidate for the Presidency of the Government. In response, he indicated that his connection with Andalusia allows for that option, although without ruling out other constituencies, since as an IU candidate throughout Spain he could also run for another territory.
Antonio Maíllo himself also acknowledged that after the election call on November 29, there were people who encouraged him to take the step and be part of the Broad Front candidacy, although he reiterated that he decided to focus his institutional activity on the Parliament of Andalusia, in coherence with his previous candidacy in the regional elections last May.
