That politics has become, in recent times, synonymous with tension, of ‘let’s see who shouts the loudest’ and that, on some occasions, it could even be confused with a chicken coop is obvious. But there is another way of doing things and Inmaculada Nieto, leader of Por Andalucía, seems to embody, with her whispered voice and her calm manner, that other style.
The woman from Cádiz, when she was about to leave through the small door of the Andalusian Parliament after three consecutive terms in office in the Chamber (limit set out in the statutes of her party, IU), has slipped through a new window to continue at the foot of the canyon . The opportunity has come to her under the newborn brand of Por Andalucía, a confluence of six left-wing parties that she stumbled upon almost before she stood up.
They say that the parties of this ideology, with their egos and interests, wage war against each other, becoming their main enemies. So far, history corroborates this trend. In fact, the current coalition has its origin in the split of Adelante Andalucía (Podemos and IU), which caused a schism in Parliament in 2020, leaving aside a party led by Nieto and, on the other, 11 deputies. unassigned and accused of transfugism led by Teresa Rodríguez who, despite everything, managed to keep the mark (AA).
Nieto, a native of Algeciras and very sensitive to problems that occur in Campo de Gibraltar, has two important tasks: to lead the formation and avoid further internal clashes between IU, Más País, Equo and the Andalusian People’s Initiative with Podemos Andalucía and Alianza Verde (These last two formations do not appear in the register presented at the Electoral Board).
If there are more fissures, something for which he apologized in the official presentation of PorA, the “broad front” project would be reduced to nothing. The Political Science graduate and Law student is aware of the fragility of her project. Those who know her point to her great ability to listen to others and her predisposition to solve problems that arise. She shies away from confrontations and is always committed to dialogue.
Tired of shouting, entrenched confrontations and the eternal anger in which some of her colleagues in Parliament have settled, she is committed to calm, the presentation of ideas and proposals in a calm manner and the taste for offering thoughtful and balanced opinions. This attitude, which a priori could give her a halo of weakness and make her an ‘easy target’, is well underpinned with determination, firmness and security.
It has served her well for Juanma Moreno, president of the Board, to have defined her as the “iron fist in a silk glove” woman and also to stop Pablo Iglesias, former leader of Podemos, when he interfered in the affairs of the constitution of the confluence. The Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and ideologue of the “broad front” interceded in her favor and opted for her candidacy to attend these elections against the proposal of the purple formation.
Nieto has never hesitated to express her ideas and criticize what she has considered unfair in this time as a deputy, although she has always carried out her work with respect, and understands politics as an element to improve the lives of citizens, a team play, collaborative, where everyone has something to contribute. ‘Never underestimate the value of the adversary’, she must have thought, which has earned her to get along with her opponents, both on the right and on the left.
The woman who took over from Antonio Maíllo (IU) as spokesperson for the Parliamentary Group of United We Can in 2019, is affiliated with CC.OO., is part of the federal executive of IU under the mandate of Alberto Garzón, and in his Haber has the experience that his position as councilor and first deputy mayor in the city council of his municipality gave him (2007-2019).
Among his merits, it should be noted that in 2019 he received the Silver Badge of the Unified Police Union (SUP) in recognition of the rights and freedoms of the National Police Corps (CNP).
So far, he has weathered two storms in public: the break with Teresa Rodríguez, a relationship that seems light years away from being restored, and the first friction between the members of the coalition he now leads. At the moment, the most favorable polls (CIS) give it up to 10 seats after 19-J.
