Monday, September 11, 2017

Coordinating Podemos

Podemos is at least true to its ambitions for job creation. Jobs for its own, that is. Periodically, a Podemos type emerges that no one has heard of and would not have been heard of had it not been for the job opportunities that Podemos empowered simply by being Podemos. When all else fails, and everyone's out of work, form a political party and there'll be jobs for the boys but especially - because Podemos is a feminist organisation - the girls.

The latest among the ranks of the Unheard-Ofs is Cristina Gómez. And she is? Well, she actually has a pretty important gig - in Menorca terms at any rate. She's vice-president of the Council of Menorca. In line with all things that are citizenly correct, Cristina heads something known as Som Bases IB. We are the bases (Balearic Islands). These bases are the Podemos rank and file, of which even its leaders are theoretically members. Egalitarianism walks hand in hand with feminism as Podemos heads towards the Promised Land. Which is not, however, being part of the Balearic government. Or is it?

Were there bookies taking bets, they would probably have installed Oberkommandant Laura Camargo as the front-runner to become the new gen sec of Podemos in succession to the obsequious Jarabo. This would be on the grounds that she has actually been heard of. Indeed a great deal has been heard of her. Not, it should be pointed out, that The Boot Girl wishes to be general secretary. Yes, she craves leadership in an egalitarian, citizens' democracy fashion, but not with that title. It's far too sexist: no secretary girl for Laura. She would prefer to be the The Coordinator, which sounds a somewhat ominous position in a scary film-noir/sci-fi/Bond-movie style. When she eventually abandons politics, Laura could do worse than contact David Lynch.

Ambitions being as they are, Laura has been having a word with Cristina. That's because Cristina has also been eyeing up the Jarabo role. It's not known how she would like to be referred to were she to be the new Jarabo, but the chances are that she won't be given the opportunity. Laura and Cristina are said to be 90% aligned in terms of policy for the citizens, though Cristina has pointed out that "no agreement of any type exists". Whatever. Which of the two will go forward for the citizens to select, if there is agreement? Well, this will require the "bases" to first decide, but 90% alignment suggests a 90% probability that it will be Laura.

The unification of the two campaigns would be important in thwarting the ambitions of the third candidate - María Asunción Jacoba Pía de la Concha García-Mauriño (to name but one). Mae for short, or Granny Mae where some are concerned, is also from Menorca. Or rather she isn't. As with many of the Podemos political intellectualati in the Balearics, she's a mainlander. Just like Alberto Jarabo or Laura. Mae represents Menorca, which is different to actually being Menorcan.

So, there is something of a battle for the hearts and minds of the Menorcan citizens, and it is one between Granny and Cristina, all designed - she will hope - to bolster Laura's wish to be The Coordinator. Granny can count on the support of Jarabo, which mae (sic) or may not be an advantage. When the grand citizens' assembly in October convenes in order to anoint Jarabo's successor, it will be a clash between the anti-capitalist Camargo faction and the less anti-captialist wing represented by Alberto and Mae.

Francina Armengol can probably rest easy in the knowledge that Laura (and Cristina) don't want to enter the government. They would prefer to remain on the outside, not actually taking any responsibility for their actions, such as holding the gun to the government's head and threatening to shoot if the tourist tax hadn't been doubled. The Alberto-Mae wing, on the other hand, fancies a spot of ministerial function. Under this circumstance, who knows, perhaps Mae might oust Biel as tourism minister. That would be fun.

Who will succeed Alberto? Well, don't discount the influence of the Madrid Supreme Intellectualati. Pablo Iglesias isn't, you may be surprised, among the anti-capitalists. They were in fact trounced when they were in the mix to challenge him to lead the party. Granny will have been hob-nobbing with Pablo. She is, after all, a deputy in Congress. Madrid may determine the outcome, just as Madrid and the mainland have guided the fate of the citizens of the Balearics until now, courtesy of the likes of Alberto who aren't native but have gone so. And in fact, last weekend one of Pablo's right-hand (left-hand?) women, Carolina Bescansa, was in Palma for a show of strength with Mae. Laura was no doubt seething.

No comments: