Canary Islands election: NC in talks over a joint left-wing list

The secretary-general of Nueva Canarias, Luis Campos, has called on the entire «alternative left to the PSOE» in the Canary Islands, including his own party, to unite behind a single candidate «with a Canarian brand and identity» to stand in the general election on 29 November.

At a press conference, Campos stated that Nueva Canarias is holding talks on this matter with Podemos, Sumar, Izquierda Unida and Sí se Puede, as well as with local and island-based left-wing organisations, in order to offer the electorate a genuine alternative «on a single ballot paper» in the Canary Islands, representing the whole of this political spectrum.

The NC leader believes that it is «not yet time to discuss who will head that single ballot», but he has argued that the candidate to be put forward should not be affiliated with «any national party or platform», but should retain its Canarian identity and autonomy in order to defend the interests of the islands.

Nueva Canarias: Joint list aims to win support in both provinces

He has also made it clear, contrary to what some rumours had suggested, that his party colleague Román Rodríguez will not be standing as a candidate to lead this possible united ticket, as he decided some time ago to «step aside».

He also stated that unity makes sense if they are able to secure a sufficient majority to gain representation in both provinces, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas.

Campos has stated that he has confidence in this forum, on which they have been working for a long time, and in which there must be a framework of «loyalty» on the part of all parties, who must also be able to respect one another so that everything they finalise and agree upon can go ahead.

General election brings social issues to the fore

The NC’s general secretary believes bringing the elections forward is the right move because media and political attention is now focused on «the real issues facing the public: housing, the quality of essential public services and the fight for fair wages».

In his view, therefore, this election campaign will be characterised «by the issues that truly concern the people, rather than those that concern minorities, speculators or the right wing, whose sole aim will be to curtail rights».

Canary Islands Left prepares joint ballot paper

He also pointed out that his party was aware that local and regional elections were due to take place in the Canary Islands in May and that the general election would almost certainly be brought forward; consequently, they had been working for the past month and a half to set up the party’s election committees.

«It (the call) has caught us with the wheels already in motion,» said the leader of NC, who also pointed out that «for the past year, since we held our sixth national congress, we have been working to bring together the entire spectrum of the Canarian nationalist left and confederal groups, and we are well placed to do so,» he emphasised.

He has therefore emphasised that they are prepared to stand on a single ballot paper representing the nationalist left and the alternative left to the PSOE, and that he hopes a decision can be reached in the coming days so that they can present themselves as an alternative to «the right-wing parties at national and Canarian level» and to austerity policies and the far right.

NC does not see the PSOE as offering a solution to the people’s problems and has therefore emphasised the importance of forming this alliance with Podemos, Sumar and the IUC, as well as with nationalist and left-wing groups, as well as bringing together the trade unions, social organisations and organised civil movements, and every single person who has taken to the streets in recent days, who number «thousands upon thousands», he emphasised.