We must admit it, primaries always have something traumatic. When two candidacies are presented and teams are formed to work on their documents and proposals, a certain degree of confrontation is inevitable. Sometimes more than I would like. However, these processes are necessary, healthy and strengthen the internal democracy of political organizations. I believe that it is the responsibility of those of us who have decided to take this step to minimize the damage as much as possible.
I cannot control what others say. I cannot control that anyone creates a fake profile on social networks and publishes whatever. I cannot control opinion articles, or more or less hurtful comments in certain forums. I cannot control what colleagues decide to do or say in telegram groups, on twitter, in meetings or wherever. But I do have control over my own words. At least that's right.
As far as I'm concerned, don't expect a single word of contempt to come out towards the work of any colleague from Podemos Arrecife during this campaign. In these years, each one has contributed what they could and as best they knew how. There are differences, that is why we present two different projects, but I do not think it is healthy or necessary to speak ill of the other to value one's own. It is important that we emerge from this process stronger than ever and face the challenges ahead together. It is necessary that all this happens respecting and taking care of each other as much as possible.
I want to see in these primaries an opportunity to reorganize and revitalize ourselves. With the day-to-day institutional life we have not had time to stop and think if we could do something differently. This process has given us the opportunity. We have reflected and from these reflections a clear conclusion has emerged: We must facilitate participation.
Open to participation
When you are in a political party like Podemos you observe that there are different degrees of suspicion when you talk about opening the doors wide open to participation. It is normal and even logical, nobody wants their organization to end up getting out of control. Even so, I believe that it is possible to achieve a more open, diverse and participatory organization at the local level.
That is why we propose to take advantage of new technologies much more. By creating online work spaces we will make it easier for those who wish to collaborate to do so at their own pace, whether or not they have time to attend face-to-face meetings. Nor do we intend for virtual spaces to replace face-to-face assemblies, as we consider personal contact important and we take into account the digital divide, but we do believe that we can get more out of tools that until now we have not used due to those suspicions to which I referred before.
What certainly cannot be tolerated within a democratic organization is that basic principles such as freedom of opinion are undermined. People have to feel free to dissent, argue, propose or run in primaries within the party without fear of pressure of any kind, of being removed from working groups or of being treated as an enemy within their own organization.
Participation has to be more than ratifying decisions made in a closed office. We can't do that, we weren't born for that. We have to do politics for the people, counting on the people, whether they are inside or outside the organization, without any fear and creating work and collaboration spaces to build a hope for the future for Arrecife together.
Confluence by conviction
In Juntas por Arrecife we also clearly and without restrictions bet on confluence. Not because it is a mandate of more than 90% of the bases, which it is, but out of genuine conviction. We believe that with Somos Lanzarote, Izquierda Unida, Equo, Alternativa Ciudadana, neighborhood associations, organizations and groups we will be able to build a project that provides real solutions to the needs of a municipality like Arrecife. The electoral law severely punishes the fragmentation of votes and our own supporters would not forgive us for repeating the same mistake we made three and a half years ago.
A Municipal Coordinator for unity
Finally, I would like to highlight that in Juntas por Arrecife we are not going to define a Municipal Coordinator based on personal motivations or in payment of interested loyalties. We will have people trained to assume responsibilities in the different areas; people with aptitude and above all with a dialoguing, proactive and collaborative attitude.
If finally our proposal is the one that is supported in the primaries, we will open a call for volunteers to come forward, regardless of whether they have supported one candidacy, another or none. I think it is important to go beyond our differences in this process, that we know how to find the first illusion that made us approach this project and join forces. Only if we are together will we be stronger and we will be able to achieve the objectives that unite us and are part of our DNA, which are also the objectives of many people who trust Podemos and expect us to act with responsibility and a sense of the common good.
By Leticia Padilla
