Gabriel Rufián's last act with Mónica Oltra in Valencia to unite the left: will she lead a possible coalition for the general elections?

The spokesperson for Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), Gabriel Rufián, will carry out his last act to achieve a possible union of the left in view of the upcoming general elections. On this occasion, he will be accompanied by the former vice-president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Mónica Oltra, in Valencia, on June 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the Parc de Capçalera. 

The meeting takes place after Rufián positioned himself as the leader of a left-wing alliance, organizing with other formations, for the upcoming general elections. He stated this in a talk at the Club Siglo XXI in Madrid alongside journalists Lucía Méndez, Marta Monforte, and Juan Fernández-Miranda.

After two events in which he had been the protagonist, with the aim of debating the rise of the extreme right and stopping it, the ERC member offered to lead a left-wing list. Let's remember that the Catalan was the one who promoted the theory that the left must reorganize because it makes no sense for 14 left-wing parties, who defend the same thing, to compete among themselves to divide the left's votes.

Furthermore, he issued an ultimatum to Oriol Junqueras, assuring that if a series of requirements related to the "parliamentary group" are "not met," he will not run again for ERC. For this reason, Rufián assured that he was going to "help create a confluence or collaboration between the sovereignist and state lefts, a space for union to maximize results" and that if that means him heading the list, "then let's go."

However, he pointed out that the decision does not rest solely with him and that there are other "very good" candidates, citing as examples the Podemos MEP, Irene Montero, and the Minister of Consumer Affairs and Sumar leader, Pablo Bustinduy.

Gabriel Rufián concluded his speech with a reflection on the role of Vox in the political landscape, warning that "the victory" of the far-right occurs when the PP and Junts adopt its postulates and reproduce its discourse. He also affirmed that, as long as he continues to serve as ERC spokesperson, he will do "everything possible" to prevent the PP and Vox from "entering power," despite the difficulties that, he ironized, the PSOE creates for him with its "contingencies, mistakes, or cases."