Who will head the candidacy of the eco-sovereigntism of the Balearic Islands in the general elections

PalmaThe leadership of Ara Més is putting different names on the table to head the candidacy for the general elections on November 29th. The result will be submitted to a vote in the assemblies of the different formations that make it up over the coming weeks.

Vicenç Vidal has been the first deputy that the eco-sovereigntists have ever achieved in the Congress of Deputies. Elected in 2023 within the Sumar MÉS coalition, he is attached to the Plurinational Sumar Group and, since this month of January, has been deputy spokesperson on the Board of Spokespersons. His role during the current legislature has also generated internal debate regarding the convenience of MÉS's continuity within the coalition with Sumar. "He is a logical name in the pools to head the Ara Més candidacy" in the next general elections, although formal conversations to know if Vidal wants to continue or if the political formation considers him have not yet taken place.

It is also not clear if the formation would bet on a name that is not from Mallorca, since the coalition is also integrated by MÉS per Menorca and Ara Eivissa. Some voices, in this line, have proposed names from the other islands.

Likewise, taking into account that the spokesperson for Ara Més is Carme Gomila, it could not be ruled out that she could be another of the options, although there would be different profiles under deliberation. All in all, the candidacy is not closed and party sources assure that "it has not been discussed within the MÉS bodies". Now, it will be up to the supra-island formation to make the formal proposal of the candidacies.

Conversations with Esquerra Unida and Podem

Ara Més has drawn a line in the sand regarding requests from other left-wing parties to form a joint candidacy: they will only do so if they come under the umbrella of this coalition, and although it has not been stated explicitly, logic dictates that they would only accept an alliance if they head the electoral list. The current representation in all local, island, and regional institutions by MÉS per Mallorca would be one of the main defenders of this argument.

The supra-island formation has already announced that they will not participate in the Broad Front (Front Ampli), which is "absolutely ruled out," and that their project "as sovereignist parties" is within the framework of the Balearic Islands. Sources from the political formation made up of MÉS per Mallorca, MÉS per Menorca, and Ara Eivissa ensure that "we would talk both with the Broad Front - which here is basically Esquerra Unida - and with Podem of the Balearic Islands, but from the Balearic Islands." The goal is clear: to create an Ara Més - Esquerra Unida - Podem coalition, as existed at the time with Progressistes per les Illes, but it would be a coalition constituted specifically in the Balearic Islands.

Although Ara Més has already received proposals from Esquerra Unida and Podem, the path for negotiation is not yet open as of today, and it seems that Ara Més is taking advantage of its position of strength to start the talks. This matter will be one of those addressed at the meeting that Ara Més has scheduled for this Wednesday. "At the press conference, we will explain that we want to run as Ara Més and that we are open to talking," indicate sources from the formation. "We want the candidacy to be as open as possible."

Ara Més will give the go-ahead this Wednesday to the intention of running not as a jumble of acronyms, but by heading the candidacy. One of the main challenges will be to choose the person who must go as number one on the ballot for the electoral district of the Balearic Islands representing these progressive forces. Several names are already on the table, and as every time elections are called, the speculation has already begun.