The federal coordinator of United Left (IU), Antonio Maíllo, asked this Thursday in Murcia to abandon "fulanismo", in allusion to the tendency to focus political discussion on individuals, and to put the emphasis back on the "substance" of politics, with proposals as the main axis of the debate.
In a press conference held in the city of Murcia, where he plans to carry out several events, Maíllo assured that, given the different profiles that are emerging as possible candidates for the Broad Front, his position is one of support for all of them, including those from his own organization. "We will be fine with the candidate we choose. When they talk to me about the people being alluded to, I think all of them are fine, and I think ours are fine too," he stated.
His words come after the stir generated by the proposal of Más Madrid, which suggested that the former mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau be the candidate for the Presidency of the Government, although heading the list for Barcelona. Maíllo himself already pointed out this Wednesday that Colau seemed like a "magnificent candidate" to him and added that he perceived broad support for her within his party. Furthermore, the leader has indicated that this new project must include the maximum number of organizations to be a true Broad Front, which again represents an outstretched hand to Podemos.
Toni Valero, IU Andalucía's referent, will take the step to internal primaries
In this context, the coordinator of IU Andalucía, Toni Valero, will run in the party's internal primaries to choose the electoral referents who will be part of the Broad Front candidacy in the general elections on 29N.
Maíllo praised Valero's profile, who is also a deputy in the Congress and has stood out for his defense of small farmers and the rural world. "He is also a formidable referent in the political space," said the IU leader, to insist that the organization wants to focus on proposals that allow addressing the needs of citizens.
The federal coordinator of IU has also reiterated that the chosen name, Broad Front, obliges the incorporation of the maximum number of organizations that share common programmatic principles, considering that a unitary candidacy is the "instrument" to solve people's problems.
IU appeals to a federal, broad left without territorial fragmentation
"In IU we are clear. We are a responsible organization in this historical moment and we appeal to incorporate into the Broad Front all organizations that want to be part of this construction of hope," declared Antonio Maíllo.
In this vein, he called for the project to be finalized by October 16, the deadline for resolving electoral coalitions, with a left-wing proposal that is "as broad as possible" and of a federal nature, not fragmented by territories, arguing that the working class shares the same conditions and problems throughout the country.
Housing and the shopping basket, two axes of the electoral agenda
Maíllo also highlighted the role of social mobilization, to which he attributes a decisive weight in enabling the alternative left to "bend" the PSOE and promote decrees on housing, with measures such as the extension of contracts or the prohibition of evictions for vulnerable populations.
The IU leader has placed housing as a central element of the 29N electoral contest and has also announced that his party will present proposals to intervene and lower the price of basic products in the shopping basket.
