At this point, no one will deny that the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, treasures one of the most epic political stories. It began with his political assassination at the hands of his own and his subsequent resurrection by acclamation of the bases of his party. He continued with his decision to leave the act as a Deputy in Congress and tour Spain with his car. He later knew how to see the moment to present a motion of censure that he won and led him to become President of the Government until today.
It is clear that political opinions on Pedro Sánchez can be highly varied, but it is undeniable that his resilience, tenacity, audacity and pragmatism have made him one of the most resistant political figures in today’s hectic political landscape. And it is that in politics, as in life, only those who know how to adapt to the environment survive. With the decision to call general elections, Sánchez once again demonstrates that he is a master at this.
The fatal results of the progressive bloc in the regional and municipal elections on May 28 have led the PSOE to lose a huge part of its territorial power. Now, if we carefully analyze the results of 28M, we can see that fundamentally the Socialist Party has lost territorial power, not so much because of its own results, but because of the poor results obtained by its potential partners and which, consequently, have prevented the reissue of various government agreements. For example, in the Valencian Community the PSPV has improved its results compared to the 2019 elections, however the significant drop in CompromÃs and the non-entry of Unides Podem in les Corts has made it impossible for the Botanical pact to have a third edition.
Therefore, with the political map dyed blue and with some partners in the Government with an already insignificant political weight, the President of the Government has made, quickly and emphatically, the decision to call general elections for the end of next July. With this decision he achieves at least two things:
One: you take control of the situation. The electoral call responds to Sánchez’s ability to react and handle extreme situations. He has swerved managing to control the electoral calendar and political news. Two: he manages to establish himself, once again, as a solvent and solid leader of a progressive bloc absorbed by chaos, internal soap operas and poor electoral results. Without a doubt, a bold move in the purest Sánchez style.
The President of the Government, with the rapid electoral call, has managed to swirl the progressive vote around the PSOE and its leadership at a time of fear and shock due to the advance of a Popular Party in coalition with the ultra-right of VOX. Who knows what it is like to suffer the deterioration of public services, the reduction of rights and liberties and real estate hits, values ​​the practical option of avoiding it at all costs. It’s more than reasonable that he doesn’t want to experiment with his vote.
But how did we get here? How have the socialists managed to return to being the useful vote of the left? An important key that explains this is the failure of what we call “the left to the left of the PSOE.”
And it is that at this time we have a Podemos already with hardly any territorial representation, eaten by chaos and internal battles that generate noise and institutional dysfunction that makes the purple party a most insolvent partner. And a Sumar that, less than two months before the general elections, we still don’t know what it is. For a long time the project has not been able to make practical decisions, beyond formally presenting itself in the middle of regional and municipal elections that it did not attend. Now events drag him down.
On July 23 there is a game, without a doubt. But it is important that the PSOE understands that the card of fear to the right with the extreme right is spent. A political project is much more. At the moment it is vital that they face a propositional electoral campaign, far from fear and the negative key anchored in the past. A campaign that moves away from the commercial-show and the overacting. And above all, it will be necessary for someone to think about what to offer beyond July 23. After 28-M this has become evident urgent. Otherwise there will be no useful vote worth.
