Spanish Socialist Workers' Party leadership election, 2016

PSOE leadership election, 2016
Postponed "indefinitely"[1]
(Initially scheduled for 8 and 20−22 May 2016)
 
Candidate Pedro Sánchez Susana Díaz
Party PSOE PSOE
Incumbent Secretary-General

Pedro Sánchez

The 2016 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party leadership election, more formally the 39th Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Federal Congress, was to be held between 20 and 22 May 2016 to ratify a new party Secretary-General, with a preliminary primary election open to party members initially scheduled to be held on 8 May to elect the new party leader. On 28 March 2016, the PSOE federal committee opted to delay the contest "indefinitely, until the formation of a new government", in order to prevent it overlapping with a likely new general election.[1]

The leadership contest will be held after the 20 December 2015 general election had resulted in the worst electoral performance for the PSOE in recent history. Pedro Sánchez and Susana Díaz have been dubbed as the two forerunners to contest the party's leadership by both the media and party sources. Sánchez has already stated his will to seek re-election to the office. Susana Díaz has publicly neither confirmed or rejected such a possibility, but she was reported to be privately accepting it.[2] As President of Andalusia and leader of the largest PSOE regional branch, the PSOE-A, she has attained a large degree of influence within the party and was the most prominent party figure criticizing Pedro Sánchez's management as party leader.

Background

Despite an extraordinary leadership election having been held in 2014, party statutes required for a new party congress to be held no later than four years after the previous ordinary congress, which was held in 2012. Such an event was to take place after the 2015 general election, which had resulted in the most-fragmented parliament in decades and in the PSOE obtaining its worst election result since the Spanish transition to democracy, with 90 seats and 22.0% of the vote share. Newcomer Podemos and its alliances had finished at a striking distance of PSOE, garnering together 69 seats and 20.7%, and overcoming the PSOE as the main left-wing political force in 8 out of the 17 autonomous communities. The People's Party had remained the most-voted parties, but its 123 seat-count meant that it was unable to command a majority even with the support of the centrist Citizens party.

Under these circumstances, party leader Pedro Sánchez came under criticism because of the negative results gathered, as well as for his management of the post-election situation. The lack of a clear majority from either side—as both prospective PP–C's and PSOE–Podemos alliances could only command around 160 out of 350 seats each—implied that harsh party negotiations would ensue, requiring of either an agreement between at least three parties, or a grand coalition formed by both PP and PSOE. Then-Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and C's leader Albert Rivera both suggested a three-party coalition between their parties and PSOE, but it met with Sánchez's opposition and his preference to study the possibilities of alternative pacts.[3][4] On the other hand, Pablo Iglesias from Podemos laid out stiff terms in order to even consider starting negotiations for a coalition with the PSOE.[5] President of Andalusia Susana Díaz warned Sánchez that the party's pact policy had to be decided "within a federal committee and not by the Secretary-General", in a move seen as limiting Sánchez's autonomy in pact-management.[6] Others within the party pointed out that, even if the PSOE obtained Podemos' support, it would not command a majority without support from other parties.[7]

A federal committee held on 28 December outlined the PSOE's pact policy, which including an express refusal to reaching a pact with the PP, as well as to negotiate with parties that supported self-determination, in a clear reference to both Catalan independentist parties—ERC and DiL—and Podemos, which included the celebration of a referendum in Catalonia on the independence issue as an election pledge.[8] Sánchez suggested at the federal committee to delay the 2016 party congress, initially due for February to renew the party's leadership, until a new government was formed or a new election was held. The idea met with strong opposition from critics, who publicly proclaimed that the congress should be held "when it is due".[9][10][11] Susana Díaz was said to be seeking to replace Sánchez as party leader and to eventually lead the PSOE into a new general election,[12][13][14] garnering the support of several party factions which deemed Sánchez's leadership as too weak in the face of the perceived threat posed by Podemos to overcome the PSOE as the main left-wing party in Spain.[15][16][17] President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, said during an interview that "if a new election is held, the PSOE must analyze a change of candidate"[18] while President of Castilla-La Mancha Emiliano García-Page commented that "No one disputes Susana Diaz' abilities to be Prime Minister".[19]

Discussion on the date for the party congress' date met with two positions clashing: that of the party's leadership, headed by Sánchez, which wished the congress to be held on 17−19 June, and that of Sánchez's critics, which favoured it to be held as early as April and, in any event, before a fresh election resulting from a likely parliamentary deadlock was held.[20] The result was a victory for the critics' position during the federal committee held on 30 January, where the congress' date was set for 20−22 May and an election primary to be held among party supporters scheduled for 8 May. This meant that the leadership contest would be over in time for the event of a snap general election, which would not be held until June at the least.[21] However, the committee allowed Pedro Sánchez to try to reach an agreement to be appointed as Prime Minister, as long as he respected the already-established pact limits, after Sánchez had announced he would put up to the party's membership vote any agreement with other parties.[22]

Party sources pointed to Susana Díaz's likely candidacy if Sánchez failed in his attempt at becoming Prime Minister.[2] On 1 February, leaked recordings from the party's federal committee held two days earlier revealed Susana Díaz openly questioning some of Pedro Sánchez's decisions during the month after the general election. She, alongside other regional party leaders, highlighted the party's red lines for negotiation and strongly voiced against any possibility of an agreement with Podemos.[23]

After Sánchez's two failed investiture votings, voices within the PSOE sought to delay the party's Federal Congress scheduled for 8 May as Susana Díaz had seemingly confessed to her close aides that she was determined to dispute the party's leadership to Sánchez.[24] However, many party members, including Díaz herself, did not saw as desirable to open the issue of the PSOE succession amid negotiations for forming a government and with a new election looming for 26 June. As a result, on 28 March it was decided for the PSOE leadership race to be delayed "indefinitely", "until the formation of a new government".[1]

Candidates

Declared

As of January 2016, the following candidates have declared their interest in running for party leader.

Sánchez announced on 21 December 2015, and again on 30 January 2016, that he would seek re-election as party leader in the party's congress scheduled for May 2016.[25] He also expressed his will to try to become Prime Minister—despite having lost the general election—through pacts with other political forces, an event he thought would strengthen his leadership within his party.[26][27][21]

Potential

As of January 2016, the following individuals have received speculation as potential leadership candidates.

Among the party's figures most critical of Sánchez's leadership, she had received public acclaim from many PSOE sectors in advance of the party's 2016 leadership election and in the event of a new general election.[28][29][30] By the time of the federal committee held on 30 January, she was reported to be privately accepting her run for the party's leadership.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The delay of the PSOE Congress postpones the battle between Sánchez and Díaz" (in Spanish). El País. 2016-03-28.
  2. 1 2 3 "A PSOE sector takes for granted that Susana Díaz will jump to Ferraz in May" (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 2016-02-01.
  3. ↑ "Sánchez goes to Moncloa saying "no" to supporting Rajoy's investiture" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-23.
  4. ↑ "Rivera offers PP and PSOE a pact of reforms for the legislature" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-23.
  5. ↑ "Pablo Iglesias sets out conditions for the agreement" (in Spanish). El Diario. 2015-12-21.
  6. ↑ "PSOE regional leaders unite against Sánchez to limit his pacting power" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-24.
  7. ↑ ""Counts do not add up for a majority," claims a regional leader PSOE" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-27.
  8. ↑ "Pedro Sánchez will not try to be Prime Minister 'at any price' if Rajoy fails" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2015-12-28.
  9. ↑ "Susana Díaz rejects Sánchez's idea to delay the PSOE congress" (in Spanish). ABC. 2015-12-28.
  10. ↑ "The main regional leaders want to renew the PSOE leadership in February" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2015-12-28.
  11. ↑ "PSOE regional leaders demand an immediate conference to discuss Pedro Sánchez's leadership" (in Spanish). El Diario. 2015-12-28.
  12. ↑ "Pedro Sánchez and Susana Díaz move towards a train crash" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2015-12-27.
  13. ↑ "PSOE regional leaders want a new election without Sánchez" (in Spanish). El Español. 2015-12-28.
  14. ↑ "PSOE divides because of the attempts of a sector to remove Sánchez" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-29.
  15. ↑ "PSOE regional leaders take for granted a repetition of elections" (in Spanish). El País. 2016-01-02.
  16. ↑ "PSOE heavyweights ask for Susana Díaz to replace Pedro Sánchez now" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2016-01-02.
  17. ↑ "Pedro Sánchez, cornered by Susana Diaz, the regional leaders, the party's old guard and the PSM" (in Spanish). La Información. 2016-01-02.
  18. ↑ "if a new election is held the PSOE must analyze a change of candidate" (in Spanish). Las Provincias. 2015-12-24.
  19. ↑ "Emiliano García-Page: "No one disputes Susana Diaz' abilities to be Prime Minister"" (in Spanish). El Economista. 2015-12-31.
  20. ↑ "Regional leaders will force Sánchez today to bring forward the PSOE congress date to April" (in Spanish). ABC. 2016-01-30.
  21. 1 2 "Ferraz wants to shield their leader as candidate" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2016-01-31.
  22. ↑ "Pedro Sanchez challenges regional leaders and will give voice to the membership" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2016-01-30.
  23. ↑ "Criticism in the PSOE federal committee on Podemos and Sánchez's management" (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 2016-02-01.
  24. ↑ "Susana Diaz prepares the assault on the PSOE leadership" (in Spanish). El Periódico. 2016-03-22.
  25. ↑ "Sánchez brings forward the federal congress' date due to the regional leaders' pressure" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2016-01-30.
  26. ↑ "Pedro Sánchez announces that he will stand for re-election as PSOE's Secretary-General" (in Spanish). laSexta. 2015-12-21.
  27. ↑ "Sánchez goes to Moncloa saying "no" to supporting Rajoy's investiture" (in Spanish). El País. 2015-12-23.
  28. ↑ "PSOE's regional premiers only give three months to Pedro Sánchez" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2015-12-28.
  29. ↑ "Susana Diaz reaches a point of no return to clear his political future in Madrid" (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 2015-12-29.
  30. ↑ "PSOE heavyweights ask for Susana Díaz to replace Pedro Sánchez now" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2016-01-02.
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