Very relevant former leaders of Ciudadanos do not hide their surprise at the schism that has ended up opening up in the party. The disappointment of seeing the main leaders confronted – “that everything has ended like this”, they repeat – is shared among many current positions. Those close to Inés Arrimadas insist on showing their surprise, speaking of a “stab” and acknowledging the “challenge & rdquor; which has meant the decision of Edmundo Bal when until very recently he was his closest collaborator. The supporters of the State lawyer justify the step forward: “There was no other way out. It was necessary to show an alternative to the affiliates and put a face to the critical sector & rdquor ;.
Citizens, now yes, it looks into the abyss. The consensus reached by the national executive just a week ago, avoiding a rupture that could have occurred and agreeing on the new organizational model of the formation (a two-headed party where internal power and political representation are shared) has broken down. Implosion, whatever happens, seems inevitable.
Bal, one of the best-known faces of the party, confirmed this Friday in a surprise appearance (he notified Arrimadas five minutes before) that he will opt for the orange leadership in the January general assembly in which the refoundation process must conclude. The internal malaise could not be greater: on Thursday night the deputies met in an informal meeting, shared beers and chatted, and there was apparent normality. This Friday night the party’s Christmas dinner was held in Madrid.
Those who are on Bal’s side (almost the entire parliamentary group of Congress with the exception of the deputy from Malaga Guillermo Díaz, as well as many leaders of the Executive) assure that turning the cards face up was an unavoidable step To avoid the seams of the party will burst. The internal tension has increased since that conclave and there was a risk, as they explain, that the positions and affiliates who are asking for a change in leadership did not believe that the alternative option would really take place: “We had to act now,” they say.
They are the so-called ‘critical sector’ (who claim to have the majority support throughout Spain after the re-foundation tour) and who assure that it would be impossible to explain a new party to the electorate if Arrimadas does not move away. The point is that none of them wanted to speak out in public immediately despite supporting the state attorney. Only Sara Giménez, a deputy very close to Bal, did so. A circumstance that dislodged to the other sidethe most faithful to Arrimadas, and who sow doubts about whether the spokesperson has calibrated the bases accurately.
The only important position that has publicly asked Arrimadas to leave is Francisco Igea, former vice president of Castilla y León and current deputy in the Cortes. Edmundo Bal’s decision is even more forceful. He stated that his candidacy is intended to be inclusive and that “he does not run against anyone & rdquor ;. But, inevitably, there is a clear message behind it: Arrimadas cannot continue to be the leader of the party and must hand over arms as soon as possible, which would not imply, they advance, that he had to leave the spokesperson in Congress. “That will be seen later. But can not continue to be the visible head& rdquor ;, they repeat over and over again.
Close the way to Arrimadas
Precisely, Bal seeks to block the way for the current president, who has yet to decide how she will be in a “unity” candidacy in which you are working and that also pretends to be the official. According to different leaders consulted by EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, from the Prensa Ibérica group, she has not officially communicated her decision. In her environment they assure that the president “is aware” that a more intense change is needed, “new faces”and that could opt for a supporting role. In any case, it is not decided. The two-headed system was proposed, precisely, to guarantee a change in internal power (the figure of the general secretary, in charge of leading everything organic) while the political and institutional representation would have another person in charge.
Arrimadas strongly insisted to his party that they should debate and decide the organizational model in the new statutes without thinking of names that will be behind each profile. But the critical sector was suspicious, convinced that the president was seeking to discharge organic responsibilities and continue to lead the spokesperson and political strategy.
Stage leads to a war of no return. If Arrimadas goes ahead, his candidacy, he will duel with Bal. The party will be fractured. The other option would be to give up appearing in search of the State lawyer leading the only list, which some leaders analyze as a definitive march of the project, which they do not see possible in view of how everything has precipitated. “Whatever happens this has already been broken & rdquor;they say.
We have to reconnect our project with social sensitivity and with what the affiliates ask for. We have to have generosity to work together in that direction. https://t.co/TLZJMnd56B
— Sara Gimenez (@SaraGimnez) December 2, 2022
“Nothing to lose”
While the hard core of Arrimadas hold the pressure and decides his next steps, the leaders closest to the deputy spokesman in Congress assure that there was no other possible way out. The majority belief in this sector is that they could not risk Arrimadas leading the only list: “We believe that she cannot continue to lead. We can only fight to avoid it. We have nothing to lose because if we don’t change anything we are dead& rdquor ;, they assure.
For Ciudadanos, the next electoral cycle is definitely the last bullet. Despite the electoral disasters in Madrid and Andalusia, the party continues to express its conviction to run for the regional and municipal elections and, later, for the general ones. It could be the last time with a ballot that bears the orange initials. “We fought to play the final game. The remains. But we want to try and play it”explains a leader with a long history in a reflection that is widely shared.
Some charges acknowledge that the war has been precipitated, to a large extent, by the context: a final stretch of the legislature with the uncertainty of what will happen to the current leaders, the lists or the fear that another hecatomb in may accelerated the decomposition.
The most optimistic, attached to Bal, consider that if it is “the last bullet, the last chance& rdquor; something different must be offered to the electorate. Hence the work on new content (such as the frontal opposition to revaluing pensions according to the evolution of the CPI thinking of the middle-aged voter who fears for their future and the youngest) and the insistence on a change of face: “We cannot talk about re-founding with Inés & rdquor ;, they settle.
“Arrimadas deserves a transition& rdquor;
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The ‘arrimadistas’ respond in this regard that Bal, despite having been in the party for a short time, cannot be considered as “a new face & rdquor; nor is he free of an electoral failure, remembering that he concurred as candidate for the Community of Madrid against Isabel Díaz Ayuso last 4-M and did not obtain representation.
Beyond that, in their hard core they refuse to believe that the departure of Arrimadas has to go through giving in to this sector, and consider that the leader has been “sincere & rdquor; and “clear & rdquor; with the game at all times. First, by putting the project “ahead & rdquor;. And, second, they recognize, leading the formation during this transition stage, leaving everything in its place and not “in any way as she found it & rdquor; (after the traumatic march of Albert Rivera) until deciding what happens with his political future (if he repeats the generals or abandons, always primaries through).