Pablo Iglesias, former Podemos leader, criticized on RNE the Por Andalucía coalition deal for the May 17 elections, saying it leaves his party without parliamentary seats. He stated that "there is a lot of people indignant" in Podemos over the assigned positions. He contrasted this with Podemos's generosity toward IU in 2016.
Pablo Iglesias spoke on RNE this Monday to criticize the Por Andalucía pact, a coalition led by IU's Antonio Maíllo including Podemos, Movimiento Sumar and others for the Andalusian elections on May 17.
Iglesias said the deal is not "very generous" to Podemos, which received the number one spot in Jaén, number two in Sevilla and number two in Málaga—positions not considered "salida" spots with seat guarantees. "There is a lot of people in Podemos these days who are indignant," he stated, recalling that in 2016 Podemos helped IU go from two to eight seats in Congress.
Iglesias noted that the PSOE and María Jesús Montero are pleased with the pact, and that Montero's praise for Maíllo benefits Adelante Andalucía or encourages abstention. "All the love relationship between PSOE and Maíllo" could lead left-wing voters away from Por Andalucía, he said.
He also faulted Montero for not clearly ruling out a deal with PP's Juanma Moreno to block Vox, despite polls suggesting PP might need support. Iglesias referenced the meeting between Gabriel Rufián and Irene Montero as a potential foundation for a left alternative to the Sumar model.
