A total of 122 members of Podem Catalunya have renounced militancy in the purple party as a response to the suspension of 13 former members of the leadership who last June opted for “unity” with Sumar before the general elections of 23- J by the party’s state leadership. Among the resignations are heavyweights of the party in Catalonia, many with organizational positions or with public responsibilities in several town councils.
The announcement of the en bloc resignation comes through a manifesto to which La Vanguardia has had access signed by the 122 representatives, among whom are the only deputy from Podemos in the group of commons chaired by Jéssica Albiach in the Catalan Chamber, Yolanda Lopez; the only representative of the party in the executive of Barcelona en Comú, David Pequeño, and councilors such as Lucas Ferro (Molins de Rei), Laura Alzamora (l’Hospitalet de Llobregat), Loren Rider (Sant Feliu de Llobregat), Sarai Martínez (Mataró), Rosa Trenado (Badalona), Ramón Espejo (Viladecans), Mar Sempere (Montcada), Marc Dalmau (Almacelles), Jordi Urgell (Blanes), Carmelo Declara or Vall Alcaide (el Prat).
In the manifesto, the already ex-militants charge against the “arbitrary and disproportionate” suspension decreed against the 13 former leaders of Podem Catalunya, which comes in the middle of the process of renewing the leadership through primary elections.
This process, for which there are already two candidates with the necessary endorsements to stand in the elections – the coordinator until now, Conchi Abellán and the organizing secretary, María Pozuelo -, will culminate on February 2. But in both cases they are committed to strengthening the autonomy of Podemos and to “review” the understanding with the commons in Catalonia, which is why the resignations consider that the sanction to the 13 colleagues was a “fully intentional way” of trying to “prevent that there is a candidacy that defends the unity of the Catalan change space”.
The fact that in this internal process there is no alternative to “defend unity” makes the signatories conclude that “Podem Catalonia no longer represents us”. In addition, they warn that the party is in the “front room” of the break with the commons in Catalonia and criticize the current leadership for agreeing with other parties “that do not belong to the space of change”, in clear reference to ERC, with whom Podemos has maintained contacts and the statements by the two parties that fuel a possible future alliance are public.
