Lluís Apesteguia: "I don't believe in strong leadership"

PalmThe leader of MÁS for Mallorca, Lluís Apesteguia (Deià, 1985), takes stock of two years in opposition in a Parliament where Vox sets the agenda. The eco-sovereignist began the legislature by self-criticizing the previous left-wing governments. He insists now, admitting that they have been "late" in the debate on immigration.

You are disappointed by the change of approach of the PP, which will repeal the Memory Law after agreeing to maintain it with the left?

— You can only be disappointed by those who can surprise you, and I never trusted the People's Party (PP). That doesn't make it any less worrying that they don't keep their word. Also, that they're unable to understand that the Memory Law doesn't establish a truth, but rather its purpose is to arm democrats with the tools to prevent and defend ourselves from the lies of those who don't believe in democracy. Prohens had to choose between being de Gaulle or being Pétain, and he was Pétain.

The PP said it had only agreed with you to defeat the repeal of the law in the December vote.

— It's absurd. If you agree to uphold a law, you can't say it's upheld that day and repeal it the next day. The reality is that he made a commitment to something he's betrayed.

Are you afraid that ad hoc agreements will make you look like a crutch for the government?

— No, because we are not. The only thing we have approved with the PP is the ban on mega farms, something that follows the ideology of MÁS, but not any implicit agreement with the Government. The rest of the things we have agreed have been with the left as a whole: when we reversed the errors of the PP with the vote on the Administrative Simplification Law, or when we eliminated the possibility of building in flood zones. It was the best thing for the country. We used it to ensure this government ends in 2027.

Do you see room for agreement on the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) or the budget?

— No, because I don't see any intention of coming through the PP. We would have liked the forces that had built our model of coexistence and self-government to have been able to reestablish a minimum consensus, isolating the far right. The PP never considered it, despite this offer being made explicit. It agrees with Vox on economic interests. This is what matters to it: continuing this predatory model of the territory, natural resources, society, and our identity.

How do you view the tensions between the PP and Vox regarding language issues?

— The president is uncomfortable with the linguistic debate. But the bottom line is that she has normalized Vox's anti-Mallorcan, Menorcan, Ibizan, and Formentera rhetoric from the moment she considered the possibility of eliminating rights. You can't sit down with someone to negotiate if you're eliminating the local people on their feet, no matter how many times you end up saying no, or that you'll eliminate only a few, because you're normalizing it. We proposed a major social pact for Catalan. It's been two wasted years, with setbacks, while we're not doing what needs to be done.

What self-criticism would you make?

— It's difficult, without a certain amount of distance. There are issues on which we should go more on the offensive, instead of playing defense against the far right and the right. We should be more proactive, because simply confronting the lies Vox presents in certain debates, and which the PP embraces, doesn't help us stop their hate speech. We should know how to propose an alternative.

How about immigration?

— The left has arrived late to this debate. We are reacting to the discourse put forward by the far right. When someone is in need, or fears needing one, it's very easy to shift the blame onto someone who is different and new, because it changes the world in which they have lived and felt safe. But we must demonstrate, and the numbers prove it, that immigration is not what creates housing problems, job insecurity, overcrowding, or the decline in the social use of the Catalan language. The problem is those who appropriate resources and foster growth that is difficult to cope with.

Propose to decrease.

— An economic model based on growth in volume and requiring the addition of labor to fill the most precarious jobs is of no interest to us. A 200% population growth in 60 years is clearly fraught. And the ones causing the frenzy are those who benefit from this system and drive it, who are surely those who finance Vox, to guarantee their privileges.

He left the Deià mayor's office due to mental health problemsWhy did you decide to go public?

— There was an internal debate. At the time, I wanted to tell my neighbors in Deià. It was also important to normalize mental health issues. I'm against the idea that people who serve a period of time in politics are supermen or superwomen. We have the same number of virtues and flaws as anyone else. To anyone who seeks perfection in us, at least in me, I regret to say that you won't find it.

Do you reject the idea of offering strong leadership to voters?

— I don't believe in strong leadership. I know that it's important for political parties to have a leading figure in the media. But this doesn't mean I think this person is the one who guides the project toward a clear destination. If it's not done collectively, it won't be done well, nor is it possible to carry it out.

Is the party clean internally?

— We're now at a congress where the atmosphere can become intense, because these are moments when debates surface. But we're experiencing a moment of internal cohesion.

Should we encourage the bases?

— This is the great challenge we face as an organization. I'm convinced we have the project with the best solutions for the majority. We must recover the enthusiasm for activism as a tool for transformation.

The controversy over Jaume Alzamora (goes) selling a house to foreign buyers) has it hurt the party?

— It's a private matter stemming from a context that no one who doesn't know can judge. I will never ask any activist to expose their life beyond what they wish, even if this sometimes makes decisions difficult to understand. I certainly know their personal circumstances much better, and understanding them, I supported a comrade who was being questioned. He then decided to take a step forward, for other reasons.

Will Miquel Oliver replace him on the Consell?

— It's an issue that needs to be analyzed, bringing all the stakeholders together. Catalina Inés Perelló has now taken over as spokesperson. I don't know if she'll want to continue; we haven't discussed it, and it needs to be taken into account. Then, together, we'll decide. This decision will be relatively easy, I think. But it's not settled.

What is your assessment of the work of your representative in Congress, Vicenç Vidal?

— Expectations were very high, and the situation is difficult. It's undeniable. Now, things have been achieved. For example, the elimination of the Golden Visa bonus for home purchases. We still need to consolidate the agenda for the islands. We've often told Sumar and the PSOE: our electorate's expectations are high, and to once again guarantee a majority like the one we had two years ago, we all need to be there. If our demands aren't met, someone will have to explain their irresponsibility, and it won't be Vicente.

The PSOE? Francina Armengol?

— Armengol isn't responsible for governing. She's the president of Congress.

But President Sánchez can influence it.

— They're not a match. We've seen it in recent days. This week, the PSOE in Madrid has done one thing after another like it does here. From the lack of recognition, which has been disrespectful, of President Francesc Antich [they didn't award him the Cross of Carlos III], to suggesting that they've already put out to tender a bomb storage project in Son Sant Joan without the PSIB people knowing anything, to giving carte blanche to the touristification of the sea through unlicensed boat rentals. They don't understand the needs of the Islands and what they should do if they don't want the right wing to win. The PSIB has no influence on the decisions made by the PSOE at the state level.