The deliberations being made by Pedro Sánchez, the national secretary-general of PSOE, over the formation of the next Spanish government have prompted some thoughts from the Balearic wing of Podemos: Sánchez may be considering some form of pact with Podemos nationally. Its Balearic parliamentary spokesperson, Laura Camargo, believes that now is the moment for Sánchez to decide if he looks to the left or to the right, adding that he should always be aware of looking behind him as well, as threats could come from behind his back.
Camargo, speaking about possible pacts by PSOE at a press conference yesterday, said that democratic regeneration and a government with an anti-austerity agenda cannot come from a government that would be inclined to legislate in line with the requirements of Ibex 35 companies. Her references were to the leading companies quoted on the Madrid Stock Exchange and to a potential tie-up with Ciudadanos (C's), a party characterised as having business and free-market instincts but one which, as with Podemos, has presented itself as a party for regeneration and also a possible partner for PSOE.
The Podemos spokesperson was satisfied that after some forty days since the December general election, the situation was beginning to move towards the possibility of there being a government of progress (meaning a left-wing government). However, she warned that Sánchez was not clear about which way he is looking and said that a tie-up with the C's would not represent a government of progress. She added that the people are expecting a solution that will mean an end to the situation of social emergency, indicating that it was a moment for Sánchez to define this.
As to any impact on the current governmental arrangements in the Balearics that might follow a PSOE-C's pact, Camargo doubted that there would be any. The two C's parliamentary deputies in the Balearics would not join the government and nor, she suggested, would they be invited to. Nevertheless, there would be "inevitable repercussions" for Balearic politics in that such a pact would be a contradiction for PSOE in the Balearics and more so than for Podemos. The socialist party would, therefore, find itself in a "complex situation".
Camargo added that Podemos supporter bases were consulted about the possibility of the party formally joining the Balearic government and had voted against this.