By Rubén Tzanoff
The autonomous Andalusian elections will be a new indicator of the tendencies towards the general elections.
The elections for the Andalusian Parliament will take place in the context of the war in Ukraine, the deterioration of the Pedro Sánchez administration, the ongoing crisis with Algeria for energy and the stance against Western Sahara taken by the government; the rampant inflation, prices on the rise that eats away salaries and benefits; family budgets that do the impossible to make ends meet; a horrific job precariousness that was not eliminated by the labor reform, falsely embellished by the government of the “progressive coalition.”
The importance of Andalusia
Andalusia is the largest and most populated autonomous community in the Spanish state and one of the five poorest. Unemployment exceeds 20%, wages are very low, temporary work is performed in appalling conditions, public health has been cut back and there are all kinds of unmet basic needs. At the same time, the Andalusian people are known for their mobilization and for leading important struggles, such as that of Airbus and the metal strike in Cadiz, among many others.
Electoral forecasts
According to the forecasts of the Sociological Research Center (CIS), the current president of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno Bonilla would obtain his reelection and the PP would be contesting the absolute majority. The PSOE would obtain fewer votes than in the 2018 elections. Vox, with Macarena Olona as candidate, would be placed as third force. The next place would be for the coalition “Por Andalucía” (Izquierda Unida, Podemos, Más País, Equo, Alianza Verde and Iniciativa del Pueblo Andaluz), headed by Inmaculada Nieto. Behind we have “Adelante Andalucía” (Anticapitalistas, Izquierda Andalucista, Primavera Andaluza and Defender Andalucía), led by Teresa Rodríguez. Ciudadanos, which repeats with Juan Marín, would continue downhill. These are relative forecasts, especially when 40% of the electorate has not yet defined its vote.
An already known scenario was set up
In the absence of a political alternative of in-depth, leftist and socialist changes, a false scenario, already used in other opportunities, was set up on the stage again. “Elect a progressive government so that the right does not get stronger”, the “progressives”, who are responsible for the disasters that have taken place in the central government, claim. One of the advocates of the “lesser evil” is “Por Andalucía”, which tries to regroup reformism and co-govern with the PSOE as its appendix. The PP, Vox and CS say: “Vote for us so that the “communists” do not cut more liberties”, they represent the most reactionary political sectors. Beyond their disputes, they all remain under the tutelage of the corrupt monarchy, of the authoritarian regime of ’78 and of capitalist exploitation at the service of EU imperialism. For this reason, we must turn our backs on them.
Critical vote for “Adelante Andalucía”
The project headed by Teresa Rodriguez of Anticapitalistas oscillates between dissimilar positions. It does not embody a project of class independence, nor of rupture with the regime, but of “democratic” institutional management in the frameworks of the capitalist system. It is within these margins that the mayor of the City Council of Cadiz, Jose Maria Gonzalez, “Kichi”, carries out his administration. Furthermore, “Adelante Andalucía” presents itself only as an autonomic tool, when it is necessary to take the dispute with force also to the national level.
At the same time, they have expressed that they do not seek a co-government with the PSOE (although they would give support if necessary to avoid a right-wing government) and are critical of the PP-Vox and PSOE-UP duos. They have a program of economic, social and democratic demands in favor of the great majorities, with some mentions to capitalism and eco-socialist proposals. Because of all the contradictions mentioned above, we have not joined the new Andalusian project. However, “Adelante Andalucía” is not the same as the bourgeois forces that are presenting themselves, that is why we call to give them a critical vote, as well as IZAR where it presents its own candidacies.
A Left Front is needed
In the autonomous regions and in the whole Spanish state it is necessary to build a Left Front, of class independence, that supports the workers and popular struggles with a transitional program so that the capitalists pay for the crisis and a fundamental solution: for a government of the workers in a socialist system. Overcoming the contradictions that cross them, a call to the Left Front made by the CUP, Anticapitalistas and other representations of the political and social left would be a big step forward. To take on the right, the far-right, the traditional bourgeois parties and the reformists. The organizations that claim to be revolutionary socialists, like SOL, LI, CRT, CR and IR can fulfill an important role if we converge and prioritize the points that unite us above those that separate us, both to intervene in common in the class struggle and in the conformation of a new political alternative, consistently anti-capitalist and leftist.