For the first time in its two and a half decades of history, Teruel Existe breaks into Aragonese politics. Through its regional brand, Aragón Existe, the formation aspires this May 28 to enter the Parliament with sufficient weight to condition the formation of the new executive and have an impact on his future decisions. A feasible objective according to the latest surveys, which give it a determining role in the governance of the community.
The hinge party role is a highly coveted commodity in these pact lands. After the arrival of the Statute of Autonomy in 1982, Aragón has only had two monocolor governments: that of the socialist Santiago Marraco (1983-1987) and the following of Hipólito Gómez de las Roces, founder of the Aragonese Party (PAR). Since then, this formation of the center has been “the key of the fan” that has allowed the PP or PSOE to alternate in power. The last one was in 2019 when, against all odds, he entered the quadripartite headed by the socialist Javier Lambán together with Podemos and Chunta Aragonesista.
However, the PAR is going through its lowest hours. Of the 19 deputies he amassed in his glory days, he now has only three, and the bitter internal and judicial disputes of recent months threaten to drive him into irrelevance. Nor are the times good for Ciudadanos, the other great party of the Aragonese center. As in the rest of Spain, the oranges are leaning into the abyss, and run the risk of going from being the third parliamentary force –12 of the 67 seats– to disappearing.
In this uncertain context, the Teruel Existe-Aragón Existe coalition emerged. Their expectations after a legislature in the Congress of Deputies are high in their stronghold, the province of Teruel, where they have obtained 83 candidacies and trust in the pull of their leader, the deputy Tomás Guitarte.
It is more difficult in Huesca and Zaragoza, where there are barely 30. Even so, they have been able to present a solvent candidate for the Zaragoza City Council in the figure of Raúl Burillo, one of the Treasury inspectors who uncovered the Nóos case in the Balearic Islands.
To date, the coalition refuses to position itself to the left or right, speaks of transversality and is open to agreeing “with everyone” willing to “really face the problem of territorial imbalances” (read depopulation and the role of Zaragoza city, designated as a sucker of resources and population).
But there are more conditions. The first and thickest is his veto of Vox, which could impact the aspirations of the popular candidate, Jorge Azcón, to form an alternative majority. Also the execution of a management plan prior to the implementation of renewables, the brake on the project to join stations in the Pyrenees or the decentralization of public administration, issues that make it difficult to reach an agreement with both the PP and the PSOE.
For now, the two big parties look askance at the newcomer. They do not like – especially Lambán, who has been very critical of them these four years – the growing weight of him in Teruel or the victimhood that, they say, exudes his speech. Even so, they have chosen to tone down their criticism and avoid direct attacks, lest they eventually have to sit down to negotiate.
