Podemos ministers, Ione Belarra and Irene Montero, attended yesterday what will surely be their last council of ministers. However, unlike what happened at the farewell of the vice president and former general secretary of the purples, Pablo Iglesias, there were no emotional scenes, neither with his colleagues in the political space nor with the socialists. For months now, their relationship with the rest of the council of ministers has been cooling to reach zero degree, or freezing point.
Neither of the two will be part of the Government again if Pedro Sánchez’s investiture goes ahead tomorrow, a decision that the president matured in spring, as a result of the progressive distancing of the Podemos leadership from the rest of the allies and with the PSOE, but also, of the unsolvable crisis of political communication of the Ministry of Equality in the management of the implementation of the comprehensive law guaranteeing sexual freedom, known as the law of only yes is yes.
Sumar negotiates up to five portfolios with the PSOE, which could be four if Sánchez is inclined to reduce the size of the council of ministers. While waiting for the final meetings of Sánchez and Díaz, which in all likelihood will not take place until after the investiture plenary session, Sumar is handling half a dozen names of possible ministers with whom he must also satisfy his main allies.
Despite the fact that Sánchez communicated his categorical refusal months ago, Podemos’s insistence that Montero had to retain Igualdad ended up spoiling the possibility of the portfolio remaining in the political space of Sumar and his allies – the name came to be heard. of the MEP of Unidas Podemos and professor of philosophy of law María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop to lead her – and the PSOE has ended up recovering the coveted feminist ministry.
Of course, the second vice presidency and the Ministry of Labor are assured for Díaz. A possible first vice presidency for Díaz or Teresa Rivera was considered months ago, but in both cases that would mean giving up their portfolios, since the Ministry of Economy, in which Nadia Calviño could continue to lead, at least for the moment, has more rank that Work and Ecological Transition.
The Social Rights portfolio, which should remain in Sumar, could go to Nacho Álvarez, Secretary of Economy of Podemos, or to Pablo Bustinduy, who was Secretary of International Relations of the Morados. IU’s number two, Sira Rego, is another of the ministerable names. The departure of Alberto Garzón from the Government made the two most prominent profiles of IU, Rego and Enrique Santiago, general secretary of the PCE and former secretary of State of Agenda 2030, immediate candidates.
Another of the powerful portfolios to which Díaz aspires is that of Health, with the leader of Más Madrid, Mónica García, as the top candidate at this time, although Sumar’s Asturian deputy Rafa Cofiño, former director of Health, was also nominated for the position. Public of the Asturian government of the socialist Adrián Barbón.
Meanwhile, Sánchez plucks his own daisy leaves. And the fate of the cards will also depend on the decisions made about the size of the executive and the distribution of power between sensitivities – the PSOE inside is as complex and tense or more so than the coalition of 16 parties led by Yolanda Díaz. which Sumar performs.
