Last week I was able to attend the conversation “Dispute the present to win the future” between Gabriel Rufián, Emilio Delgado and Sara Santaolalla at the Galileo Galilei theater in Madrid. A conversation that preceded the event organized by IU, Más Madrid, Comunes and Movimiento Sumar, which was titled “A step forward” and which took place on the same Saturday in which Iniciativa del Pueblo Andaluz organized a meeting in Málaga to talk about the State model and plurinational lefts, which I attended and participated in.
From these meetings I extract some lines of work that seem opportune to me to develop in order to build a unit of political and electoral action in the Canary Islands among all the lefts of Canarian and confederal obedience for the next general elections.
First of all, it must be made crystal clear that what is coming is not a conservative government as usual. It is not the typical alternation between PSOE and PP that, with its ups and downs, was normalized by society as an expression of democratic stability. An ultraconservative, identitarian Spanish nationalist, centralist, and neo-fascist government is coming. A PP and VOX government that will look in the mirror of the worst Milei and the worst Trump. And let's not deceive ourselves with that idea that “in government they will moderate”, since if one thing characterizes the new neo-fascists it is precisely fulfilling what they say. We are already seeing it in the U.S. with the paramilitary police of ICE that kidnaps children and kills unarmed people; or in Argentina abolishing labor rights.
I am aware that by itself “stopping” or “curbing” this possible government cannot be the only offer that the lefts offer to citizens, but it is undoubtedly one of the main reasons upon which we must pave unity, the program, and the electoral method. If we are not aware that we live in a historical moment that needs new consensuses, we will not be able to defend the social majority from those who come with a chainsaw, hatred, precariousness, and centralism.
About the method spoke Gabriel Rufián. It has been interpreted in a self-serving way that this is based on only the left-wing party that obtained the most votes in the 2023 general elections presenting itself in each province, forcing the rest not to participate. Honestly, I didn't understand it that way and later Rufián himself explained it. It would be about finding the method that best suits the political actors operating in each electoral constituency, taking into account that there are 50 constituencies and two autonomous cities with different and unique case studies.
For example, in Canarias we have two electoral constituencies, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where 8 and 7 seats are distributed respectively. The method that Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-bc) is betting on is the following: Canarian perspective, that is, a minimum program with the main issues that we must defend in Madrid prioritizing the defense of our identity and self-government; Canarian brand, an electoral umbrella of strict Canarian obedience; and everyone inside. We believe that there is no sense in going separately with the electoral brands of each organization if we want, precisely, to win every vote and every seat.
In July 2023 in the constituency of Las Palmas, between Sumar and NC-bc, more than 95,000 votes were obtained, of which only the confederal candidacy had representation. We are convinced, therefore, that the unity of political and electoral action among all left-wing forces, together with more actors from organized civil society, would comfortably revalidate the seat. Similarly, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, about 57,000 votes were obtained, which left this political space without representation. However, we believe that, in a scenario of fragmentation in the right-wing bloc between PP, VOX, CC and SALF, and with a far-right at 20%, it would leave a very disputed seat between the Canarian left and the Canarian right of CC.
And this leads us precisely to the Canarian singularity. In our land, the left has a double objective: to contribute to weakening the Spanish right and far-right; and to dispute with the Canarian right of CC-Primero Canarias its false attribution of “Canarian and nationalist voice”. First, because it is false that they are the voice of the Canarian people. They are, in the best of cases, the representatives of a wealthy, rich minority, which seeks in some political actors the mechanism to improve its bottom line. Second, because there is no doubt that they will raise their hand to support a government of the PP and VOX. They already did so in 2023 when CC supported Feijoó's failed investiture knowing that his only possibility to be president was to govern with Santiago Abascal as vice-president; in addition to incorporating the far-right into the Canarian public institutions in Teguise, Arona, Granadilla de Abona, and Telde. A complete example of Canarian nationalism.
I want to finish by highlighting an aspect that seems key to me, enthusiasm. For some time now, the citizenry only hears from the left division and lack of horizon. If something was confirmed last week, it is that there is a broad social sector that is eager for a left of territorial obedience. It is eager to be again alongside projects and people who build bridges, who are proactive and leave the baggage of the past at the door. Who defend the identity of their peoples and advance in the capacity for self-government. It is eager to beat the PP and VOX.
Let's make our people hopeful again. Let's tell them that we cannot resign ourselves to suffering what the social majority of EE.UU., Argentina, Hungary or Italy are already suffering. Canarias can contribute to the construction of a historical bloc that is the tool to improve our land and stop fascism.
Canary gaze, Canary brand and all and all inside.
