Antonio Maíllo is the new general coordinator of Izquierda Unida after receiving majority support from the new leadership. The Andalusian leader takes over from Alberto Garzón for the new phase of the organization which has immediate challenges to get its candidate, Manu Pineda, into the European Parliament on June 9 and to take charge of the relationship with Sumar that has been damaged in recent months. The new leader of IU has received almost 80% support from the federal coordinator after obtaining the votes for the candidacy of Minister Sira Rego. Specifically, 78% voted in favor of the new leader, 3% against and 19% of the leaders abstained.
The Federal Assembly has thus ratified the bases' decision last week. In the militant mood Maíllo obtained 53.4% of the votes, above the absolute majority, while the minister was left with 23.4%. Madrid coordinator Álvaro Aguilera received 14.1% of support and former leader José Antonio García Rubio 8.3%.
“We have an activated and active militancy, alive. And that he has made a commitment and has had a thesis and a clear step-by-step plan. Colleagues from other organizations: know that IU remains proud of its unitary tradition, of building a broad front with democratic methods and with the participation of Izquierda Unida as a key player,” Maíllo said in his speech after being elected.
The militants' mood clarified a scenario that had seemed complicated in previous weeks. Maíllo's absolute majority cleared the way for him to become general coordinator and ruled out a scenario in which the other candidates could agree on an alternative leadership.
Not only did that not happen – Maíllo's results prevented any other alternative option to lead IU – but during last Sunday's vote, the former coordinator of IU Andalucía received widespread support by securing the votes for Sira Rego's candidacy. Maíllo thus leaves this meeting with an endorsement from the organization similar to that which Alberto Garzón received during his mandate.
It is still not clear how Maíllo will integrate the Rego sector into his new director. The new coordinator has assured in interviews in recent weeks that he would include this candidacy in his management, without indicating in advance which people and what responsibilities he had.
Izquierda Unida leaves this meeting strengthened as an organization at a time when the Spanish left is experiencing an intense debate about how it will shape itself in the future. Maíllo's candidacy was most favorable to maintaining the alliance with Sumar in the form of a broad front and in this sense, this weekend's meeting annulled all amendments to the political document calling for a bilateral relationship with the Yolanda Diaz was requested.
The new secretary of the Organization of Sumar, Lara Hernández, attended the IU meeting as a guest this weekend, where her socialist colleague Santos Cerdán was also present. The leader of Sumar and second vice president of the government, Yolanda Díaz, sent a video message.
Sira Rego: “IU can always count on my efforts as a militant”
Leaving aside the doubts about whether or not Rego will join the new executive branch, Maíllo has confirmed that she will remain as minister. “My brotherly hug to Antonio and to all the new management for this new phase. IU can always count on my efforts as a militant and can always count on our rebellious allergy in all tasks entrusted to me. “It is an honor to be an IU minister in our country's government. “It is a source of pride,” he defended in his speech to the federal meeting, after which he embraced the new coordinator.
“The task of Izquierda Unida is clear. We should not keep our eyes on our shoes,” Rego said during his speech confirming that this assembly process has strengthened the organization. “Izquierda Unida is alive and our assembly process has shown that,” said the Minister of Youth and Children.