Antonio Maíllo has taken over the leadership of Izquierda Unida for the next four years with a call to uphold the legacy of Julio Anguita and the party’s “unitary tradition.” The new leader, who will face the challenge of defining the future relationship with Sumar, warned of the dangers of narcissistic temptations in his speech. Maíllo was confirmed as Alberto Garzón’s successor in the final day of the XIII Assembly with 79% of the support of the Federal Coordinator, the highest decision-making body of IU. With the election of its sixth leader in 38 years, the organization enters a new stage where it must define its alliances and relationship with Sumar.
For now, the party has postponed the debate on the relationship with Sumar to focus on the upcoming European election campaign. The outcome of the election is likely to determine the future direction with the platform. The new Coordinator emphasized the importance of working towards ensuring the success of Manu Pineda and the Sumar candidate in the European Parliament. The new leadership aims to continue building a broad front, as advocated by Maíllo’s candidacy, although the exact strategy for greater integration with Yolanda Díaz’s project is yet to be defined. Maíllo emphasized IU’s pride in its unitary tradition and building a broad front through democratic methods and political ambition.
Maíllo expressed gratitude for the work of the five previous Coordinators and extended a hand to the other primary candidates. His list won with a significant margin over the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, and other contenders. He highlighted Anguita as an ethical and political reference for the working classes, emphasizing his focus on unity as a foundational element of the party. Maíllo emphasized the importance of a plural leadership that represents the diversity within the organization and the need for a broad front both internally and externally.
During the assembly, tensions between Maíllo’s supporters, who had the backing of the PCE leadership and the Andalusian federation, and Rego’s supporters from regions like Valencia, Aragon, and La Rioja, were resolved with Maíllo’s victory in the Coordinator vote. Some of these federations are expected to be represented in the new Federal Collegiate, IU’s executive body, where Rego is also likely to have a role as a minister. The presence of Garzón, who had a low profile since December, was notable at the assembly, where various political and union representatives were in attendance.
The debate at the assembly included the rejection of a controversial amendment that proposed limiting the relationship with Sumar to a temporary coalition that would be reviewed periodically. This amendment stemmed from discontent within IU after the party’s placement as number four on the Sumar alliance list for the European elections. Despite this, sources within Sumar have viewed the outcome of the IU assembly positively, seeing it as a step towards a constructive future for the platform. The relationship between IU and Sumar will continue to evolve in the coming months as both parties navigate their partnership moving forward.
