Sumar assumes the cost of the break with Podemos in the Basque Country and "closes the debate" on his coalition

Josean Izarra Vitoria

Victoria

Updated Wednesday, February 21, 2024-14:00

Sumar's deputy for Vizcaya Lander Martínez has closed the possibility that an electoral coalition could be agreed with Podemos in the next Basque elections. The leader of Sumar in Euskadi has stated today that the debate is "closed" on a more than difficult agreement that had been reactivated after the emergence of a platform supported by almost 500 signatures that calls for a last attempt to reach an agreement. The Sumar lists together with Ezker Anitza and Equo will compete in the Basque polls against those of Elkarrekin Podemos led by Miren Gorrotxategi.

Martínez has publicly agreed to put an end to an in extremis agreement that was advocated by militants of the Basque left, including institutional officials from Podemos, before election day in Galicia. The elkarrekinsumarbai platform has already achieved the support of almost 500 signatures and the candidate for lehendakari of Podemos and parliamentary spokesperson Miren Gorrotxategi had also raised the possibility of resuming the negotiations broken since last February 3. Then, Alba García (Sumar), Jon Hernández (IU-EB) and Carmen Muñoz (Equo) signed a pre-agreement in Bilbao of which Podemos learned through the media. Until a few days before, the four parties had kept negotiations open for almost two months in which the existence of two opposing projects (Sumar and Podemos) was confirmed.

"There is no option or confidence to create a political coalition," said Martínez today, former coordinator of Podemos in Euskadi and Yolanda Díaz's trusted man in the development of Sumar Mugimendua. Martínez's statements in EiTB place Sumar as the force that assumes the cost of the non-coalition just three days after the polls in Galicia punished the two political forces that will not have representation in the Parliament of this historic community.

"It is a shame that Sumar has concluded the possibility of reaching an agreement in Euskadi; ​​we have done everything possible and impossible to make this unity agreement a fact," Gorrotxategi warned after Martínez's statements. Gorrotxategi recalled that she has been willing to "step aside" and has blamed Sumar for "not listening to the left-wing citizens of Euskadi." "We will continue to represent this space as we have done until now," Gorrotxategi stressed on her social networks.