Antonio Maíllo seeks an agreement for the succession at IU and is not ruled out as a candidate for coordinator

Leaders of Izquierda Unida from different federations have commissioned the former general coordinator of IU Andalucía, Antonio Maíllo, to seek “a new majority agreement” to present a candidacy different from the one announced by the Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, which They consider “breaking with the unity agreements,” according to IU sources.

The left-wing federation will hold its XIII Assembly on May 18 and 19 after the resignation of Alberto Garzón.

Maíllo's task (Lucena, Córdoba, 57 years old) is to find a “solid, cohesive and as collegiate direction proposal as possible”, but it is not ruled out that he himself will ultimately present himself as general coordinator.

Maíllo has the support of IU Andalucía, the most powerful federation with the most militants, led by the deputy Toni Valero, also by Asturian leaders and has the decisive endorsement of the general secretary of the PCE and deputy for Córdoba, Enrique Santiago.

The sources consulted accuse Sira Rego of “breaking consensus” when, in the middle of the primary process for the candidacy for the European Parliament, the minister launched her candidacy for general coordination.

The decision was harshly criticized from Andalusia and stirred the always troubled waters of the left-wing federation.

“Out of respect for your decision, I regret the renunciation of the agreement to have the best, most representative and most cohesive leadership to lead Izquierda Unida.

For many months we have been working to achieve maximum unity around politics.

And in primaries,” warned Amanda Meyer, IU co-spokesperson.

Antonio Maíllo left active politics and the direction of IU Andalucía in June 2019 for health reasons and to escape the “stress level of current political life, incompatible with a quality life.”

He was the driving force behind a coalition agreement with Podemos in Andalusia led by Teresa Rodríguez.

The experiment ended fatally.

IU expelled the parliamentarians related to Teresa Rodríguez from the Adelante Andalucía parliamentary group and accused them of transfuguism, causing the definitive split of the left-wing groups to the left of the PSOE.

Maíllo himself went so far as to reproach Teresa Rodríguez, with whom he had founded Adelante Andalucía, for wanting to turn the group into “the Andalusian CUP”, in reference to the Catalan independence party.

Sources close to Maíllo defend the end of the “super leadership” in IU and the return to the essence of a coalition that since its origin has had a strong assembly component.

“We want to return to the political culture of arguing over every comma and not over a tweet.

It is the opportunity to move from a political leadership closed in on itself and alien to the grassroots assemblies to a leadership of road and blanket and frank, direct and unfiltered dialogue with the militancy,” say the media consulted.

The promoters of the alternative candidacy for Rego consider that "betting on hyper-leadership models, with a lot of concentration of power and little collective, is a mistake" and that they will bet on "reinforcing democracy, participation, and common and collegiate work in left-wing organizations.

Although without citing him, they indirectly criticize Alberto Garzón's management as general coordinator.

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