Ada Colau invites Gabriel Rufián this Friday to join the Broad Front and asks him to use his leadership to unite the left-wing parties ahead of the November 29 elections. The former mayor of Barcelona assures that the doors are "totally open" for the spokesperson of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and offers to help him build a candidacy that gathers the votes of the space to the left of the PSOE.
In an interview this afternoon on 'Más Vale Tarde', on laSexta, Colau demands that the agreement include Podemos and Irene Montero. "I cannot conceive that all left-wing forces are not with us", she states, while still not confirming if she will lead the candidacy. Her availability to return to institutional politics is linked to a broad project, capable of incorporating organizations that still remain outside the joint negotiation.
Rufián and ERC's decision
Colau praises Rufián's "lucidity" in defending that the left-wing parties run together and encourages him to exercise that "responsibility" and "leadership". She shows herself willing to help him unify the left at the state level, although she leaves open what position each would occupy. She maintains that she will be where she needs to be and that she doesn't care about the position on the list.
The call also has a previous conversation behind it. Colau assures that what has been publicly stated has been privately conveyed to him, without detailing these contacts. As 'ElConstitucional.es' published this afternoon, internal sources of the Broad Front indicate that Colau, Montero, and Rufián maintain continuous communication while the organizations negotiate the leadership, candidacies, and conditions of the alliance.
Rufián maintains his intention to represent ERC "accompanied by other left-wing and anti-fascist forces", as he expressed on Thursday. His party continues to negotiate the lists and Jordi Albert, deputy spokesperson in the Parliament, has begun to collect endorsements to be part of the candidacy. Colau expresses "maximum respect" for these conversations. "I don't want to interfere at all," she states, after recalling that ERC has refused to participate in the Broad Front.
The invitation coincides with the one formulated this afternoon by Verónica Martínez Barbero, co-leader of Movimiento Sumar, who describes Rufián as an "immense electoral asset" and keeps the door open for his incorporation. The parliamentary spokesperson especially highlights his influence among young people. Both offers come as the republican leader tries to agree with his party on how to run in the general elections.
Podemos and the dispute over the lists
For Colau, Irene Montero must be part of the project. "I take for granted that Irene Montero has to be there, I hope Gabriel Rufián and all left-wing formations too," she insists. She places housing and public services in a shared program and defends a leadership with several faces. "There is space for everyone. I insist, there is prominence for everyone," she emphasizes.
That will requires an agreement on the candidacies. According to information published by this newspaper, Madrid remains one of the main obstacles because Más Madrid demands four of the first five positions and proposes Mónica García as head of the list. Colau retains the greatest internal support to lead the project, but her candidacy remains pending an agreement that incorporates Podemos and resolves the distribution among the organizations.
Podemos maintains open primaries on October 14 and 15 as a condition for unity. The electoral pressure is reflected in the 40dB. poll published this Friday for 'El País' and 'Cadena SER', which estimates between seven and nine seats for the Broad Front and Podemos separately and between fifteen and nineteen if they run together. In that scenario of unity, PP and the far-right Vox would retain an absolute majority.
The deadline to register coalitions ends on October 16 and the Broad Front plans its presentation event for October 17. Colau asks to prioritize the common good over particular interests and makes her call "personally," without imposing a deadline on Rufián. "If we don't do it, we will never forgive ourselves. The citizens will not forgive us," she warns.
