A new moment for sovereignty
Good news is also coming from the Valencian Community. A few days ago, an internal Compromís poll was published, confirming a trend already emerging in other stateless nations of the Iberian Peninsula: pro-independence parties could be the alternative to the PP and Vox governments. The fact that the poll shows a four-way tie between Compromís (25-26 seats), Vox (25-26), the PSPV (24-25), and the PP (24-25) undoubtedly reflects a significant tectonic shift. On the one hand, there's the reaction of Valencian society to Mazón's disastrous handling of the torrential rains. On the other, there's the lack of leadership in the PSPV, which is too preoccupied with "preventing further glories for Spain" from within the ministerial sphere. Can this map help us envision a new horizon for the Balearic Islands?
Leaving aside the post-referendum hangover in Asturias, the Basque Country and Galicia can still offer us more clues. In the last Basque elections, Bildu achieved a historic virtual tie with the PNV, with 27 seats each. In the second, the BNG secured the position of leading opposition party against the PP's absolute majority (40), with 25 seats that almost tripled the PSG's result (9). Both campaigns shared a common aspect: the direct, unapologetic mention of the concept of nationhood. A complicated, hardline approach, but one that could be effective in the medium and long term. In times full of uncertainty, with the return of imperialism, speaking clearly and with a self-centered perspective can pay off.
And in the Balearic Islands? Is there a clear alternative to the PP government, an inspiring project that addresses the fundamental, everyday concerns of the citizens (housing, language, sustainability, a radical change to the tourism model…)? The answer is likely both yes and no. MÁS is doing a more than commendable job in parliament, but its message seems to be struggling to reach the general public, and unlike Compromís, they remain determined to continue under the Sumar umbrella. Coalición Por Mallorca wants to revive the self-centered center-right space yet again, but it does so with a discourse that some define as xenophobic and which the PP, one way or another, is being pressured to incorporate. Meanwhile, the PSIB, a circumstantial accomplice of all stripes of separatism, remains mired in its leadership crisis, with Francina Armengol's position not being filled and Iago Negueruela at least looking lost. In the civic sphere, the growth in membership of the Obra Cultural Balear is cause for optimism, but it should also lead the organization to consider what it should do now with this strength, and the Asamblea Soberanista continues to have serious problems in influencing the new public conversation, not always with the most readily available communication frameworks.
In the Valencian Community, Galicia, and the Basque Country, the answer seems obvious: a clear, honest, and self-centered discourse can help create social majorities as an alternative to the PP and Vox governments. And here? Will we be able to take advantage of it?
