Politics and Politicians

Spain’s left hits coalition deadline without Podemos deal

Spain’s left hits coalition deadline without Podemos deal RUSSPAIN.com © russpain.com
Spain’s left hits coalition deadline without Podemos deal © russpain.com
Electoral authorities must receive coalition filings by midnight on Friday, 16 October. Podemos and Frente Amplio remain apart nationally despite agreeing to join forces in the Canary Islands.

The election decree published on 6 October began the statutory countdown. Under Article 44 of the LOREG, coalition agreements must be filed within ten days of an election being called. The deadline is midnight on Friday, 16 October, before parties submit their electoral lists.

A coalition running in only one constituency files with the provincial board. Alliances spanning more than one province must notify the Junta Electoral Central, or JEC. Each filing must state the coalition’s name and governing rules, then identify those responsible for its leadership or coordination. Announcing an agreement is not enough: the relevant electoral authority must receive the notification by the deadline.

The timetable also includes a window for checking voter records, covered in this register update.

On the national left, Podemos and Frente Amplio have yet to bridge their divide. Podemos is holding primaries with Irene Montero as its candidate. Frente Amplio brings together Izquierda Unida and Sumar. Los comunes and Más Madrid are also part of the grouping.

The two sides have not agreed to run together in Madrid or Barcelona. A day before the deadline, Podemos had backed away from a pact with Frente Amplio in those cities. EFE reported that Podemos had proposed separate deals with Izquierda Unida elsewhere, including Galicia and Asturias, as well as Cantabria and the Basque Country. The proposal also covered Navarre and Castile and León, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, and extended to Extremadura and Andalusia. IU rejected partial arrangements that could leave alliances fragmented.

A deal in the Canary Islands has revived hopes of a broader agreement. Nueva Canarias and Podemos have agreed to join forces there, alongside Izquierda Unida and Movimiento Sumar. The sides remain far apart nationally. Regional talks have run alongside Podemos’s primaries, while Montero has rejected integration into Frente Amplio.

Late deals in several autonomous communities remain possible. Parties can use different coalition formats in different territories.

The PSOE is also finalising Senate lists with smaller left-wing groups in some constituencies, including the Balearic Islands.

Pensions remain a campaign fault line. PP leaders say they will revalue pensions in line with the CPI, and Alberto Núñez Feijóo has insisted that commitment cannot be negotiated away. The PSOE accuses the PP of seeking to cut pensioners’ rights and mislead Spaniards. Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo told TVE that the Government will raise pensions in December.

Carles Puigdemont has suggested he would not lead the opposition in the Parlament if he returns to Catalonia after the amnesty law is applied. He said his position as former president of the Generalitat means he should not control the current president, Salvador Illa. In an interview with Jordi Basté for Pla seqüència on La 2 Cat de RTVE, recorded at his home in Waterloo, Belgium, the conversation focused largely on his personal life during nine years outside Catalonia.

Richard Reid RUSSPAIN.com
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Richard Reid

Richard Reid is the News Editor at RUSSPAIN.COM. He oversees editorial standards, source review and corrections and writes across general news, including politics, economics and social affairs.