ELCHE. At the end of this week unexpected news broke in local politics. Once again, from citizens, where as it happened just two months before the 2019 elections, an earthquake erupts again. If on that occasion the spokesman David Caballero and the mayor Juan Antonio Sempere resigned, who later founded in the city With youexcision orange, to abandon him shortly after, now the unattached mayor, Eduardo Garcia-Ontiveros, who was expelled, has been readmitted from his militancy by the new leadership. Not only that, but the National Executive intends for Cs to appear at the locals in May.
A decision that in normal circumstances would not be news, if it were not for the fact that in recent months the current spokesperson, eva cruciblehas mentioned on several occasions that he is in a “period of reflection”, slipping that he could even leave politics, as he declared to Teleelx, which leaves, or left in the air a possible concurrence to the electoral appointment. The formation currently has only one councilor and hardly any internal organic activity for a long time, as well as taking the game out on the street. The recognizable and active faces at the local level are herself and the adviser peace gallud, structuring its activity in plenary sessions and press releases. With the trend of that context and the statements of the mayor herself, a candidacy for the municipal ones seemed difficult, if there was a proposal for a list. However, with this twist in the script, there is an intention from Madrid for it to compete in the elections. Which will also be a very difficult mission, although in other formations they believe that they will have no problem presenting the 27 people on the list.
From uncertainty to a possible resurrection
In any case, the now more than possible presentation on May 28, or at least that is how the party wants it, and also the recently reinstated one, can be bad news for the People’s Party, which counted in its calculations on absorbing the fishing grounds of votes that could remain in Ciudadanos. Several thousand votes can mean one or more councilors for them and that can be lost if Cs shows up and does not reach the 5% barrier. Although it is still unknown what Crisol had in mind to do, still without making a decision almost at the gates of the elections, it is a setback because the PP cannot afford to lose votes among its potential public if it wants to herd the mayoralty: dispersion in the vote center-right who need to concentrate.
In this regard, there has been much speculation as to whether the current councilor and spokesperson for Ciudadanos could have some kind of agreement to go with the popularas many comrades in the ranks have done for a couple of years and even weeks ago, both at the regional and national level. Bickering also interested by the ‘critics’ of Cs and the Crisol, who had always been on Emilio Argüeso’s boat, one of the muñidores of that transfer to the PP. Even now in the gossip of the Diputación it is said that she would have been offered a position as adviser to the next legislature in the PP. The reality, to this day, is that the councilor has not taken any steps in this regard so far, and she asserts that no one has offered her anything. Hence also those statements on television about a possible abandonment of politics. She, too, has not had an easy or calm journey these years (or personally in recent months) with the internal fights in the formation.
Disputed voting ground
What is a fact is that, voluntarily or involuntarily, the fact that Ciudadanos has had so little activity has been very good for Paul Ruz and its formation, since with the decline of the party and few options to repeat, it left more electoral competitors in its spectrum in the lurch, with expectations of fishing among the 8,950 votes obtained by the oranges in 2019 and that earned them two councillors. So with a brand that was sustained and today in decomposition, a process that the new directive tries to avoid. It is unknown what drag it could have now, although little is assumed. All in all, it is an opportunity that could affect not only the PP, which hopes to concentrate ballots (also in search of a more transversal vote), but also others that have been working on this space in recent times, such as With you, which also stands as a center formation. Of course, with a more complicated perspective, without representation. and also for Voxwhich at least at the national level, where the voting dynamics is usually different from the electoral one, has tended to absorb Citizens’ votes.
Many open variables every time there are these seismic activities. Cs will have to face his own time trial if he wants to present a candidacy that can generate some expectation among an electorate disillusioned by the general situation of the party, both at a general level and at a local level due to so many convulsions and brawling situations in recent years. The new leadership, after analyzing those points where it has representation, understands that the third city of the Community cannot not have a candidate, in line with what García-Ontiveros thinks, with whom they have been meeting these days. Now they have to appoint a mayor, which should arrive in the next few days. The regional management will meet on Monday.
For now, bicephaly
For his part, the recently reinstated councilor does not shy away from the fact that he would accept the assignment if the party considers it, and in the coming days he will contact those who have been gradually leaving the party in recent times, some of them the profiles he chose for the group of work after the municipal ones of 2019. Surveys in search of crew members to refloat the ship. Movements in the back room. This Friday he left the tagline of a Ciudadanos “who cannot be a crutch for the PP”, in reference to this legislature in which Cs, but also Vox, have gone as supporters of proposals promoted by Ruz’s PP. That is why Ontiveros stressed on Friday his own profile, “of the center and liberal.” He now has the support of the party, which demands his restitution with his rights, that is, that he become spokesman again, although Crisol does not contemplate it because she is the current one. And she needs her signature to make it change.
Crisol has received the news coldly, indicative of the relationship between the two despite the fact that the municipal group once again has two councilors. He has not yet made public statements, but he believes that this situation “does not affect it in any way”: in fact, he will continue as spokesperson and will be in plenary session on Monday, presenting his two motions. It remains to be seen how long he will continue in that “reflection period”, or if the new situation alters him. In the rare event that he renounced his mayor’s certificate, the next on the list would be for Irene Ripoll, third of the candidacy, although also disaffiliated. The appointment of her as a position of trust was what spurred the dismissal for not being agreed with the then number 2, Crisol. Curiously, although Ontiveros has been reinstated, he has not withdrawn (in agreement with the party) the appeal that he maintains against Ciudadanos when a court rejected compensation for his dismissal. A procedure that he now describes as “waste paper”. Many unknowns and it will be seen if more bombs. On Monday, for now, full.
