IU proposes that Sumar be a federation of parties that respects the “autonomy” of each one

Izquierda Unida is committed to Sumar becoming a federation of parties with coordination mechanisms that respect the “autonomy” of each of them and without “asymmetries” between territories and organizations. A little more than two and a half months before the Assembly to succeed Alberto Garzón, on May 18 and 19, and in full debate on the configuration of the space led by Vice President Yolanda Díaz, the draft of the document that will define the political line of IU, the next four years dedicates a section to the proposal to build the “broad front” with the forces that make up the coalition, but also marks among its priorities “feminizing” the party and “reinforcing its territorial implantation” and its “solidity.” organizational”. Under the title The left that was, is and will be, the text presents the formation as the most “solid and reliable of the entire transformative left”, reiterates its position in favor of the “dissolution” of NATO and is critical of a future entry of Ukraine into the EU. The document approved by the current management last Monday must now be submitted for debate in the federations.

The IU proposal on Sumar once again places limits on Díaz’s organization, pointing out that although for them the best formula to articulate the space is that of the federation of parties, any other can be valid, “except that of a political party.” . After the breakup of Podemos last December, the party emphasizes that it “is committed to a joint space that grows and does not shrink” and that has “greater organizational strength.” In this sense, it proposes “effective mechanisms for democratic participation, deliberation and decision-making.”

Last September, the then leader of Izquierda Unida already warned of some deficiencies in the construction of the coalition in the first months. “Coordination mechanisms must respect the autonomy of all component parts,” the text now establishes, which also advocates a “political process without asymmetries between territories and organizations,” a warning to its positioning with respect to other forces that have already marked limits to Sumar in its communities, such as Más Madrid or Compromís in the case of the Valencian Community and where it is not clear whether Díaz’s coalition would participate or not with its brand or what IU would do in that case. “Guaranteing participation rights to organizations and people is also establishing a system where we all know what rules we have, which must be the same for everyone. This will only be possible by making the principle of one person one vote effective,” he points out.

The debate in Izquierda Unida also goes through the construction of Sumar itself, which celebrates its first Assembly on the 23rd of this month. The party has already shown its rejection of the platform proposal so that only 30% of the seats in the leadership be occupied by members of other political parties.

“Wide front”

The IU document also warns that if Sumar does not advance in the construction of this “broad front”, Izquierda Unida will seek to “consolidate the coalition at the state level” by “reinforcing bilaterality.” The organization also defends that the common brand of the coalition cannot be used “against the actors” who have “built the process”, that is, if in a territory there is no agreement to participate together, Sumar should not present itself with that name .

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In its analysis of the political context, the text recognizes that the space “brings the wear and tear of fatigue, the decline of expectations and division” and adds that “despite the coalition government, saved in extremis, it is the conservative forces who carry the political-cultural initiative, led by its most radical factions.” “We will work to strengthen IU, that is, to reinforce its territorial implantation, its social insertion and its organizational solidity,” says the document, which takes advantage of the “advances” achieved in a “very difficult historical context” and calls to “consolidate and go deeper” into them.

“The transformation we advocate requires a State with a strong, democratic and participatory public power, which intervenes to guarantee the rights and particularly protect those of the working social majority to establish quality and universal public services,” the letter also states.

The document calls the task of “feminizing the organization” “essential.” Although a formal proposal regarding the team that will lead IU in the coming years has not yet emerged, the current Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, now the profile with the greatest public projection, is positioned as one of the names with the most votes for the position. federal coordinator. The one who was the party’s spokesperson and number two until November has already publicly confirmed her willingness to take a step forward if the party so decides. Garzón left the executive last December, just a few days after leaving the Ministry of Consumer Affairs with the new Government and after more than seven years leading the reins of the organization.