Noa de la Torre Valencia
Valencia
Updated Friday, January 26, 2024-15:23
PSOE The race to succeed Puig begins without yet giving up on a pact around Morant: "The door is not closed on anything"
The chip movements follow one another in the game for control of the Valencian PSOE. After weeks of shadow negotiations to illuminate a unity candidacy around the figure indicated by
Ferraz
as his favorite, Diana Morant, the strategies are beginning to be revealed. The Minister of Science confirmed this Friday what was an open secret: that she is willing to be Ximo Puig's successor at the head of the Valencian PSOE.
That is to say, if necessary, he will be on the front line of the battle, although his objective - and that of Pedro Sánchez - is to avoid primaries that bleed the party dry. "I am working for it," said Morant, who has called for unity to demand a "party project without sectarianism, without families." What Morant has actually done is send a message appealing to the cessation of hostilities between the different factions that define the Valencian socialist federation.
In other words, Morant maintains his idea of leading a consensus candidacy that, for the moment, is not accepted by the other two candidates who have been involved in the succession race: the provincial leaders of
Valencia
and
Alicante
,
Carlos Fernández Bielsa
and
Alejandro Soler ,
respectively. A few hours before the national committee that ratifies the schedule of the extraordinary congress is held this Saturday, the three-way pact is still far away.
In fact, Soler announced this Friday from
Elche
his intention to run for the General Secretariat. "He was kind enough to call me and tell me, but he also told me that the negotiations and the possibility of a pact and an agreement are still open," Morant revealed. "Perhaps it is the best of all," he said, to conclude: "I will also continue in those negotiations and at the party's disposal."
Morant thus gets ahead of Soler, while extending his hand to continue negotiating. From Soler's entourage, in fact, he responds along the same lines, without closing the door to anything: "Even the primaries, everything is open." February 25, which will be when the first round will be held, is the deadline.
Soler was the first socialist leader who dared to publicly show Puig the exit door. He did so in December, to then mention his desire to be the next general secretary of the Valencian PSOE. Already then he gave clues as to what in his opinion was the best solution: a bicephaly that could leave him in charge of the party with Morant as a future candidate for the
Generalitat
.
Morant, however, has avoided commenting on this approach to questions from journalists. "What I think the party needs is to come out strong and, therefore, what we have to do is a credible project, an exciting project, a project that takes all sensitivities into account."
Not in vain, the so-called Ximista
sector
, which brings together those loyal to Ximo Puig, is the one that is throwing its weight behind the minister's candidacy. For its part, the bulk of the
abalismo
-those related to former minister José Luis Ábalos- are on the side of Soler, although Bielsa also has support in this current. The paradox is that Soler is claimed by the
Abalistas
who opposed Puig as the first
Sanchista
.
Soler and Bielsa have represented the dissonant voice against Ximism
in recent years
, which is why an agreement was also considered between the two that could leave Morant out of the game. They were even seen together in Fitur. Socialist sources interpreted this image as putting pressure on Morant in the face of negotiations.
But Soler's movement, together with Bielsa's announcement that he was also preparing his team for battle, will force Morant to expose himself in a primary if there is not first an agreement to avoid it. There are those who see this as a maneuver that is too risky for a minister, to the extent that the result of a primary is always uncertain. From her environment, however, it is assured that she wants to take the step. And to fight.