The day for the constitution of town halls in Navarra has had its main focus in Pamplona, ??where on March 28 UPN narrowly won EH Bildu. Once the Abertzale coalition declined third ways -such as the option of investing Geroa Bai’s candidate-, there were two options left for the investiture. The first involved the appointment of her as mayor of Cristina Ibarrola (UPN), with the support of the PP and using her status as the most voted list. The second was the inauguration of Joseba Asiron (EH Bildu), with the support of the other three left-wing forces: PSN, Geroa Bai and Contigo Zurekin. The Socialists have avoided this option, so that Ibarrola will be the new mayoress of the Navarrese capital.
The vote has left the following result. UPN has received a total of 11 supports, from its nine councilors and the two from the PP. EH Bildu, for his part, has received the same support, his eight councilors, both from Geroa Bai and the councilor from Contigo/Zurekin. The PSN, finally, has voted blank.
In this way, UPN will continue to govern the city of Pamplona, ??for having been the list with the most votes, although with the sword of Damocles that its municipal government will be supported by a minority with great difficulties in obtaining support outside of the PP. The councilor for Contigo / Zurekin, Txema Mauleon, has already offered his vote for a possible motion of no confidence.
Beyond the capital of Navarra, this same logic has operated in other important towns, such as Estella/Lizarra, until now governed by EH Bildu, Barañain or Valle de Egüés, municipalities in which UPN will govern as a result of the position adopted by the socialists. In Tudela, in addition, the regionalists will govern with an absolute majority.
Looking at the other towns with the largest population in the community, EH Bildu has reached the mayoralties in Burlada, Tafalla, Ansoain, Villava, Berriozar and Baztan. Geroa Bai, for his part, has obtained the baton of command in Zizur Mayor and Alsasua.
Finally, the Socialists, despite having been the second force in the foral elections, will not govern any municipality with more than 7,000 inhabitants.
The constitution of city councils leaves a complex political derivative. The acquiescence of the PSN has allowed the UPN to regain municipal power, despite its loss of support on 28-M, and the Socialists still have two open fronts with a view to María Chivite being re-elected president of Navarra.
First, they will have to negotiate a government program and a regional executive with the Basque coalition Geroa Bai and Contigo/Zurekin (Podemos, IU and Batzarre). Secondly, they need the abstention of EH Bildu at the investiture, who had demanded their support in Pamplona and in municipalities such as Barañain or Estella. The shadow of July 23, however, has led the Socialists to end up favoring the UPN-PP entente, a situation that strains relations with the rest of the progressive forces.
The good news for Chivite is that his investiture can be postponed beyond 23-J, an appointment that greatly conditions any political movement due to the readings that it can generate in other communities. For now, the PSN has preferred to open an abyss with EH Bildu and insist that its allies in the foral community are Geroa Bai and Contigo/Zurekin, just as it has done with the PNV in the Basque Autonomous Community.
