Iglesias: Catalan referendum is a must for any pact
"They must understand that Spain is a pluri-national, diverse country; otherwise, they’re just handing the government over to Mariano Rajoy", he said regarding PSOE's "No" to right to self-determination
MadridPodemos has committed fully to the right to self-determination, and set the defense of a referendum in Catalonia as a must for any pact. Though on election night Pablo Iglesias didn't make it clear that it was a condition for forming a government, on Monday he underscored it as a top priority. "They must understand that Spain is a pluri-national, diverse country; otherwise, they’re just handing the government over to Mariano Rajoy", he said in a press conference. "The powers in the PSOE are saying that it's necessary to hand the government over to the PP", he repeated, so as to be completely clear.
The Andalusian branch of the PP, led by Andalusia’s president Susana Díaz, has already stated that they view a pact with Podemos to be very difficult due to its territorial position. On the last day of the campaign, Pedro Sánchez indicated his own two no-go issues: Mariano Rajoy and an independence referendum in Catalonia. From Barcelona, he assured that he would never allow Catalans a vote to decide their own future.
"I'm surprised that hear some people today saying that they don't want a referendum. We are the only political force in Spain and in Catalonia that defends it unambiguously and without nuance", said Iglesias, who had no qualm to reiterate that a referendum is an "essential" condition for Spain "to build a new historic project, a new shared project".
Podemos is beholden to the support that it has received from the so-called Spanish "periphery". They are the leading party in Catalonia with En Comú Podem and in the Basque Country --in votes. And they are the second force in Galicia as well as in the Valencian Country --Iglesias is reluctant to use this term and always talks of the Valencian Community--, the Balearic Islands, Navarre, the Canary Islands, and Madrid. If at the beginning of the campaign there was doubt that the territorial alliances could form their own group in Congress, today the leader of the "purple party" is a supporter of this idea. "It's fundamental that there be a Catalan, Galician and Valencian group in Madrid’s Congress, because we understand the pluri-nationality and diversity of our country", he said.
Negotiations, after Christmas
Iglesias announced that he will initiate a series of contacts with all of the parliamentary parties after Christmas to negotiate the five constitutional guarantees that he will lay down on the table: shielding social rights, a reform of the electoral system, the fight against corruption, the right to self-determination, and the possibility of a censure motion against the government halfway through the term, if it has not complied with its program.
In addition, he will consult with the people's council, the highest-ranking body within Podemos, on the possible steps that the party could take. Iglesias, although assuring first that a referendum is an “absolute must" for any agreement, he later wanted to clarify that limit. "We don't talk about red lines in negotiation, we talk about ways of coming together, of a social consensus that has already been expressed by the citizens", he said.
"Delighted" with the scenario of snap elections
Nevertheless, Podemos is aware of the difficulties involved in forming a government, and places all the responsibility on the PSOE if they fail to form a government and end up agreeing to a pact with the PP. The scenario of early elections does not frighten Pablo Iglesias. "We're happy to take on this scenario"- he said. "If the people have to vote again, we can be very optimistic".
They are convinced that the campaign was too short for them to beat the PSOE to the second position. "We can say today that we could have used one more week and another debate", he said.
Consistency with campaign discourse
Podemos had already set the right to self-determination as a red line during the election campaign: any pact would have to involve a referendum. Nevertheless, Iglesias later tried to qualify his statements. He recognized that he had gone too far, and that he didn't want to impose this condition. Íñigo Errejón, Podemos' number two, however, reiterated it in an interview with Antoni Bassas in ARA.
