Compromís avoids breaking (for now) with Sumar: it will reevaluate the pact

ValenciaCompromís avoided breaking with Sumar this Monday after a grueling executive meeting convened to evaluate its continued presence in the parliamentary group following Yolanda Díaz's party's decision not to summon Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to the upcoming commission of inquiry into the DANA (National Anti-Drug Defence Act) in the Congress of Deputies. Instead of leaving the group, the Valencianists are demanding a "reevaluation" of the pact with Sumar that guarantees "full autonomy" and maintains "bilateral" relations with the Spanish government.

As proof that their demands are being taken into account, the coalition has decided to maintain Sánchez's proposed appearance. As for Sumar, it decided to set deadlines and requested that the "necessary reevaluation of the pact" be resolved this week. The objective, according to the coalition, is to "establish a new framework of relations" that guarantees "full party autonomy and horizontal relations." "We demand that the internal functioning of the [Sumar] group be reformulated, as it was in the last legislature, and that it be truly confederal and plurinational," insisted Àgueda Micó, a member of the lower house and co-spokesperson for the party, internally.

Aware of the importance that citizens give to its performance in the recovery from the effects of the DANA, Compromís has demanded to be able to deploy all legislative and control instruments in the Spanish government, especially, "after the negligence shown by the government of the Generalitat in the management of the catastrophe and the lack of lack of the catastrophe. "We want to strengthen our autonomy and own voice in Madrid, even more so after the tragedy of the DANA", has stressed the also deputy and co-spokesperson of Compromís, Alberto Ibáñez, who has called for "advancing the Valencian agenda" in the Congress of Deputies.

The decision taken this Monday responds to the division with which the coalition arrived at the executive. On one side are the Valencianists of Més, the largest formation of Compromís, who defended leaving the parliamentary group of Sumar because they consider that The electoral agreements that granted Compromís the power to decide on the parliamentary group's initiatives on issues affecting the Valencian Country have been respected. On the other hand, the eco-socialist Iniciativa del Poble Valencià (Initiative of the Valencian People)—the party of former Vice President Mónica Oltra—supported continuing because they believe no red line has been crossed. The third leg, the environmentalists of Verds-Equo (Verds-Equo)—who are in the minority—preferred to continue negotiating.

As has been demonstrated, in the absence of a rule governing their operation, Compromís has become accustomed to resolving debates by dragging out negotiations until the last minute. The great ideological diversity also plays a role, since Més is a party that, despite its moderation in recent years, still defines itself as sovereigntist. In contrast, Iniciativa del Poble Valencià was born as a split from Izquierda Unida (United Left) and has always maintained that its main objective is social policies and not the measures that prioritize self-government, identity, and the language of the Valencian Country.

The federation of parties that doesn't reach

If we look for the last precedent for the current split within Compromís, we find the debate that erupted in July 2023 over the appointment of former president of the Valencian Parliament, Enric Morera, as a regional senator. Morera imposed his majority among the deputies in the Valencian Parliament, which angered Iniciativa. Faced with the Valencianists' refusal to amend their choice, Iniciativa decided not to participate in Compromís' bodies until Més reconsidered his position, which never happened. The disagreement lasted until the end of October of that year, when Iniciativa decided to return to it after agreeing on "spaces for a more agile and cohesive structure." In reality, and according to ARA, what was agreed upon was the creation of the party federation, about which, however, nothing has yet been heard. According to coalition sources, the DANA postponed the announcement, which is now expected to take place after the summer. "We hope the new controversy doesn't ruin all our efforts," these sources emphasize.