Echenique presses Díaz to support UP in Madrid and Valencia at 28M: The "logical" thing is to campaign for his space

He stresses that Iglesias did not designate her as a candidate but gave her his support if the party militancy endorses it: "He is a democrat"

MADRID, 29 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The spokesman for Unidas Podemos, Pablo Echenique, has stated that the "logical" thing would be for the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, to campaign for the candidates of the 28M formation in Madrid and the Valencian Community, where she competes electorally with Más Madrid and Compromís , because they are the aspirants of their current "political space".

She has also rejected that the former leader of the purple party Pablo Iglesias designated her as a candidate two years ago, but instead asked for support for her as the future head of the electoral poster, something that must also be endorsed by the militants of the different parties if they vote for her in primaries. .

"Pablo (Iglesias), beyond his preferences and his opinions, is also a democrat within the parties," he pointed out in an interview with the RNE program 'Parliament', collected by Europa Press, questioned whether it was expected that Díaz and Podemos were in a tense situation when in 2021 they proposed her as a future candidate.

Moreover, Echenique has indicated that now "it is clear" that Sumar and Podemos are two "different" spaces and that they do politics in a "different" way, despite which they defend, at least by Podemos with "all the intensity" , reach an electoral agreement to go together to the general elections because it is a condition of possibility to reissue the progressive government.

All this in a context where the leadership of Podemos did not participate on April 2 in the launch of Díaz's candidacy after not signing a bilateral coalition agreement with Díaz, while the head of Labor was supported by IU, the ' comunes', Más Madrid and Compromís, among others, for the coming-out of Sumar, which aspires to regroup the left independent of the PSOE.

Asked if an agreement between the two parties is not reached, the Minister for Equality, Irene Montero, would be a good candidate, the spokesperson for the confederal group replied that "they are not thinking about that" and that this possibility has not been discussed at a national level. internal to the formation, because the conviction is to achieve a coalition with Sumar.

Regarding the role of the second vice president in the 28M elections, Echenique has reiterated that Podemos has asked for support from its candidates, that apart from the fact that they are part of Díaz's current political space is that "they are very good."

Specifically, he praised the role of the head of the list in Madrid, Alejandra Jacinto, and the Valencian Community, Héctor Illueca, who are leaders in housing matters and the guarantee that the new state regulations approved by the Congress.

For now, the vice president has not specified her presence in the electoral campaign and in which territories she will participate, while Unidas Podemos has already advanced that it will open the campaign in Valencia and close it in Madrid, two key places in these elections.

Asked if a bad result for Podemos in 28M would penalize them for a new negotiation with Sumar, Echenique has said that his organization is not thinking about that and is only focused on obtaining "the greatest possible strength" in future local governments and autonomous.

Regarding his political future, Echenique has assured that he does not think about it and that at the current moment of reconfiguration on the left and in the middle of the electoral cycle, the majority of leaders who are on the "political front line" do not know where they are going to be after the elections. "I don't have a crystal ball", he has deepened to emphasize that this decision depends on the citizens and their vote.

And on whether in this final stretch of the legislature he perceives that the PSOE is moving away from its coalition partner, after deploying the reform of the Law 'only yes is yes' with the support of the PP, the parliamentary spokesman for United We Can has launched that this issue must be answered by the socialists and that if so, it would be "irresponsible".

Of course, it has made it clear that "women's rights cannot be a bargaining chip in an electoral process." "I wish they hadn't," she wished.

He has also rejected that they are going to leave the Government, which is the "most fervent" desire of the opposition since the "first day", and has proclaimed that Podemos is the one who defends the current coalition with "the most intensity", since its presence is a condition of the possibility of advances such as the increase in the interprofessional minimum wage or the new Housing Law.

However, he has called it "tragic" and it "hurts" them that a step back has been consummated with the change in the Penal Code in the reform of the 'only yes is yes' agreed by PSOE and PP, which represents a "step back" in feminist rights and return to the "probationary ordeal" for victims of sexual violence.

Therefore, they will try to reposition consent as the center of the criminal framework of this law, aware that there is now a "bipartisan majority" that opts for the model that supported the controversial initial sentence in the case of 'La manada'. In any case, he has praised that the rest of the regulations are progress to prevent sexist violence.

Meanwhile, he has shown his satisfaction with the recent approval of the Housing Law, although it is late, because it is good legislation "for the people." "The unblocking is welcome for whatever reason, if it is electoral as well", Echenique has shelled, questioned whether the proximity of the regional elections has influenced the PSOE to carry out the bill after a long negotiation.

Nor does it bother Echenique that the PSOE turns its speech now into this law because it is "legitimate" that all parties claim their work, although he has added that all Spaniards know what Podemos has done in terms of housing.

On the other hand, Echenique has said that he does not see the new public housing badly if they end up being built, there is money and above all there is "political will", although he has launched that a "fundamental" requirement for that promise to end up being a reality is that we can have more strength in the next Executive.

Finally, he has stated that he sees the PNV "nervous lately" after finally rejecting the Housing Law given the possibility that there may be a progressive majority in the Basque Country that will make him lose the regional government. "It is true that now he collaborates less in social laws", he has settled.