Ada Colau campaigned for votes against a government of the conservative People’s Party and the right-wing Vox party at an election rally in Zaragoza The lead candidate of the left-wing alliance Frente Amplio said on 15 November that her list could be decisive in preventing Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Santiago Abascal from governing after Spain’s general election on 29 November.
Colau suggested that Frente Amplio could win more than ten per cent of the vote. In her estimate, this would give the alliance more than 22 seats in the Congress of Deputies. This figure is the candidate’s election forecast, not a confirmed result. The distribution of seats also depends on how votes are cast in each constituency.
The former mayor of Barcelona also campaigned for a left-wing force that would push a possible progressive government to take more far-reaching measures. In particular, housing policy must be a condition in future government negotiations, she said. Colau called for affordable rents and tougher action against property speculation.
She also criticised Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on this issue. In her view, the socialist prime minister had not done enough to challenge the major economic interests in the housing market. A strong Frente Amplio should push his party towards a firmer course.
According to Colau, the alliance’s other proposals include higher taxes on large fortunes. The additional revenue should benefit, among other things, higher pensions and the public health service. She also called for greater public investment in the railways and for maintenance to be brought back under public control.
The snap election concerns both chambers of the Spanish parliament. A royal decree of 5 October dissolved the Congress of Deputies and the Senate and set the election date. The official campaign runs from 13 to 27 November.
Frente Amplio is supported by Movimiento Sumar, Izquierda Unida, Más Madrid and Comuns, among others. A nationwide alliance with Podemos did not materialise. In several areas, the groups are standing separately; in the Canary Islands and the Valencia region, they have joint lists with Podemos. In Aragón, Frente Amplio is standing alongside the regional party Chunta Aragonesista.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).