The president of the United Podemos parliamentary group in the Congress of Deputies, Jaume Asens, claims to overcome the “narcissism of acronyms” in the face of the blockade in the negotiations to form a confluence between Sumar and Podemos. In statements to La 2 and Ràdio 4, Asens has warned that going to the next general elections separately would make it “almost impossible” to reissue another coalition government after the fact.
The appeal of the leader of the commons comes after the latest proposal from the second vice president of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, to the purple formation, which includes a political declaration with a multilateral agreement for the holding of primaries. It is in this context that Asens asks for “generosity”, especially from Podemos, whom he “understands” to set its conditions as a party, but appeals to put the “general interest” before his desire to reach a bilateral agreement with Sumar. Despite the divergences and public tensions between Díaz’s space and the one led by Ione Belarra -with Pablo Iglesias with a prominent media role-, Asens is convinced that a pact will end up being sealed.
The open primaries is the condition that Podemos put on the table to reach an agreement. Its spokesman, Pablo Echenique, remarked on Tuesday that, if these are carried out, “unity is guaranteed.” In line with what Asens expressed, in a press conference from Congress he assured that in United We Can they do not contemplate “any other scenario that is not unity.”
Although the countdown to the event this Sunday – where Yolanda Díaz will announce the decision to stand for election – has already begun, Jaume Asens has wanted to take the iron out if an agreement is not reached before. “The important thing is not who is at the starting point, but who reaches the goal,” said the leader of the commons -aligned with Yolanda Díaz-, who has asked “not to be obsessed” with the visible faces that will be present – nor with those absent – at the Antonio Magariños sports center in Madrid. Asens has already confirmed his attendance, as well as the mayoress of Barcelona, ??Ada Colau. They will coincide with the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, or the leader of Más País, Íñigo Errejón, among others.
The president of the parliamentary group of Unidas Podemos has highlighted the importance of reaching an agreement for the general elections at the end of the year: “Whether there is a right-wing or left-wing government depends on this unity.” For Asens, if they present two separate candidacies it will be “almost impossible” to form another coalition government with the PSOE. For this reason, he considers it essential to abandon the “partisan tacticism” that, in his opinion, currently prevails in the negotiations.
On the role of Pablo Iglesias, he has recognized his “ancestry” within Podemos -despite remembering that he does not hold any management position-, and expects him to have “strategic vision” as he has already shown at other times, according to Asens .
