Miriam González Durántez announced her candidacy for Congress of Deputies in Madrid on 10 October and announced that the new party Democracia 21 was entering the campaign for 29 November 2026. The formation intends to stand in this election only in the provinces of Madrid and Barcelona with lists.
In her speech, González Durántez focused on institutional reform, strengthening social mobility and dismantling clientelist structures. Specifically, she called on the head of government Pedro Sánchez and the opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to work together in Brussels to secure the reallocation of 10 billion euros in unspent European funds to a national fund for subsidised and affordable housing. She also cited her professional and personal background as a reason for standing. Her husband, former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, attended the presentation.
The party justified limiting its candidacies to Madrid and Barcelona by the short time remaining before the election. It says it will consider expanding after the vote. The party leadership avoided commenting on possible coalitions or recommending a vote for any party beyond its own list. Former members of Unión, Progreso y Democracia (UPyD) were also seen at the event, representing the liberal centre.
The project’s public registration under the name Democracia 21 had already come to light in the summer. With its launch now under way, the party is targeting urban voters in particular, who, it says, are interested in pragmatic, reform-oriented politics. It outlined some policy points on Saturday and said it would publish a complete manifesto in the coming weeks.
Several aspects of the campaign remain undecided: the line-up beyond the two metropolitan areas, the project’s funding and its position between the established PSOE and Partido Popular. Only once the final lists have been submitted and a full programme presented will it be possible to assess whether Democracia 21 can win seats in Madrid and Barcelona. The immediate news is the formal announcement of its candidacy and its limited presence in two provinces.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).