The teams of Diana Morant and the leader of the PSPV in Alicante, Alejando Soler, are already working on possible concrete solutions in order to prevent both from presenting candidacy in the party primaries and with the minister of future general secretary. Sources from Ferraz tell this newspaper that progress is being made in the negotiations, although they still do not rule out that Soler will also end up presenting a candidacy “as a way to achieve a stronger negotiating position.”
As this newspaper reported last Tuesday, the national leadership of the PSOE has taken action on the matter. The desire is for the Minister of Science and Universities to be the one to replace Ximo Puig at the head of the Valencian federation. And it is recognized that the solution for the objective to occur while avoiding confrontation is for Soler to agree to support Morant, achieving great power in the future executive. “Both are Sanchistas, and both know how important it is to avoid causing a problem for the PSOE leadership,” they comment.
These sources suggest that work is already underway on the design of the future executive of the PSPV, with Diana Morant as general secretary. In these “papers”, which Soler knows, the possible pieces are being drawn that should allow the faithful of the provincial secretary of Alicante to be integrated but without taking away the prominence of the team that is working on behalf of the minister. They add that “the main opposition is not from Soler, it is more from José Luís Ábalos’ circle.” The objective is to close an agreement before the deadline set by the PSPV executive expires on January 30.
The PSOE leadership also points out that Pedro Sánchez does not want an adverse result in the first socialist federation – the second in number of militants in all of Spain – to hold a congress after the 23-J elections, which is the Valencian one. “It would be very bad news,” they add. After València, there will be the Extremadura congress, and in this also the person called to lead the federation will be a person close to the President of the Government.
To ensure this result favorable to Sanchismo, leaders close to Soler point out the need for Ferraz to “ensure the landing of the minister with the support of the militancy that the Alicante president has already tied up” after years of internal work. Along these lines, they point out that “Sánchez must sit the two people who are Sanchistas to him (Morant and Soler) at the same table and promote an agreement.” A pact that they understand should go through a renewal of the party and to prevent “those who have pulled the strings of the party for years and now claim Morant’s candidacy from continuing to do so.”
However, nothing is yet closed. Diana Morant will announce that she is presenting a candidacy. “Her determination is absolute,” they point out from the national leadership of the PSOE. If there is no agreement, Soler will do it too. And we must add the third candidate, the mayor of Mislata and provincial secretary of the PSPV in Valencia, Carlos Fernández Bielsa, who is also negotiating with Soler the possibility of closing an agreement together. This last possibility seems very distant from Ferraz: “Soler will not agree with Bielsa to go against Diana Morant,” these sources affirm.
Alejandro Soler and Carlos Fernández Bielsa appeared together yesterday at the Madrid Tourism Fair, Fitur. Both stressed their willingness to reach an agreement, but without specifying whether they will take the step to formalize their respective candidacies. Alejandro Soler, who a few days ago emphasized his desire to be a candidate, acknowledged yesterday that all possibilities are being negotiated, both the “availability to opt, as well as the availability to seek agreements.” In this context, he pointed out that in recent days contacts have been intensifying to reach agreements.
The photo of both provincial leaders was used yesterday by those loyal to Bielsa to demonstrate that they could also add those close to Soler to their candidacy. In fact, they highlight that the two provincial leaders have woven complicities in recent months and have already spoken on more than one occasion about the congressional race. In fact, after the defeat in the regional elections, both of them used Ximo Puig to alter the candidates for the general elections and they got their way.
Both the minister’s side and the mayor of Mislata are aware that whoever manages to bring together two of the three blocks that have been mobilizing for months to gain followers, they have a lot to gain. A circumstance that causes the Alicante’s shares to rise in value.