Podemos secretary general Ione Belarra announced on Saturday that she will lead the party's list in the May 2027 regional elections for the Community of Madrid.
Belarra made the announcement during Podemos' Fiesta de la Primavera event held at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. The party leader criticized both the PSOE and Más Madrid for failing to offer a strong alternative to regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
The secretary general justified her decision by stating that “this fight must be waged with much more strength” and that she is running “with all humility but also with all determination.” The goal is to regain seats in the Madrid Assembly, lost in 2023 after failing to reach the 5% vote threshold.
Belarra follows the path of her predecessor Pablo Iglesias, who unsuccessfully tried to unseat Ayuso in 2021. The party currently holds no seats in the regional chamber.
