Former President of La Rioja, the socialist Concha Andreu, has decided to step aside a year after the regional and local elections, in which the Popular Party (PP) swept to victory: winning by an absolute majority in the region and in the capital, Logroño, and securing victories in over a hundred municipalities out of the 174 in the region. Andreu announced on Monday to the leadership of the PSOE in La Rioja that she will not seek re-election as secretary general of her party. She will also step down as an MP in the Parliament, where she has held a seat since 2011.
In an open letter to the socialist members in the region, Andreu emphasized that it has been an honor for her to be the first woman to hold the presidency of La Rioja and also the first woman to be the secretary general of the PSOE La Rioja. She stated, “I am fully aware that, without the support of the entire PSOE and without you as a member, I would not have achieved this.” This decision comes after she informed the party’s executive committee of her choice at a meeting held in Logroño. Andreu will continue in politics, but will limit her activities to the Senate, where she holds a seat following the last general elections.
The current senator governed the least populous autonomous community in Spain (324,000 inhabitants) in the previous term from 2019 to 2023, with the support of Podemos and Izquierda Unida. The left-wing government was a minor episode in a history marked by PP governments, which had ruled without interruption for the 24 previous years. During her term, Andreu faced a session period in which she had to combat internal tensions within her government; she dismissed six of the nine councilors in her cabinet, including her predecessor as secretary general of the PSOE in La Rioja, Francisco Ocón, as well as around fifty senior officials. However, she retained the Podemos Equality councilor, Raquel Moreno, who completed the term despite being expelled from the party.
Andreu’s mandate was marked by the impact of the pandemic, and the health emergency slowed down the launch of strategic projects in the region, linked to the new economy of language, with San Millán de la Cogolla – birthplace of the Spanish language – as the focal point, in addition to circular economy and the cultural and tourist appeal of wine. The exact date of the next PSOE congress in La Rioja, which will see Andreu step down from her position, is yet to be determined. However, she will remain at the helm of the PSOE in La Rioja until the congress takes place.
The decision of Concha Andreu to step aside comes at a crucial moment for the PSOE in La Rioja, following the heavy defeat in the last regional and local elections. Her decision to focus on her role in the Senate reflects a shift in her political career, and the challenges she faced during her term as president, including the internal tensions and the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Despite her decision, Andreu’s legacy as the first female president of La Rioja and the first female secretary general of the PSOE in the region will be remembered as a significant milestone in the political history of La Rioja.
