23-J Garzón renounces going on the Sumar lists to promote the "renewal of faces" and puts pressure on Irene Montero and Pablo Echenique

The coordinator of Izquierda Unida and Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, has announced in an open letter that he is resigning from being present on Sumar's electoral lists for the general elections on July 23

23-J Garzón renounces going on the Sumar lists to promote the "renewal of faces" and puts pressure on Irene Montero and Pablo Echenique

The coordinator of Izquierda Unida and Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, has announced in an open letter that he is resigning from being present on Sumar's electoral lists for the general elections on July 23. "It is a very thoughtful decision that aspires to promote the renewal of the public faces that represent this necessary project," says the IU leader.

Garzón is the first major figure in the political space of the alternative left to the PSOE to take a step back to open a gap for other people. Although it is a strictly personal decision, his gesture indirectly puts pressure on other Podemos positions much more discussed by the partners in the construction of a new project such as Irene Montero or Pablo Echenique.

"I will continue as coordinator of Izquierda Unida and I will complete the cycle as Government Minister, as well as I will continue working in Sumar to make Yolanda Díaz president of the country, but I am leaving the front line of politics," he explained in his letter, made public in Twitter first thing in the morning.

Before announcing his move to the side, Garzón had communicated his decision to the IU leadership and to Díaz herself. Later, already in his letter, he has stressed the importance of "renewal" as an essential factor. "As a Republican, I have always believed in the renewal of representatives: it is healthy for political projects and also for democracy. Now that we are entering a new phase, I think it is a great time to allow other colleagues to contribute their energies and knowledge," he said.

The leader of the IU has explained that he has already spent 12 years on the "front line" in a career that began in the squares of Malaga on 15-M and that opened the doors of Congress, as one of the youngest deputies, until culminate that trajectory as Minister of Consumption. "As Julio Anguita insisted, politics is in every corner of our daily lives, and I will continue helping to build a fairer Spain from other places that are also political: in my organization, Izquierda Unida, and also in Sumar."

Garzón has pointed out his willingness to care "more and better" for his family after these 12 very fast years in which he has been the father of three daughters. "The front line of politics is very demanding," he has said. However, he affirms that he will maintain his "political commitment to build a better life." Likewise, he thanks all the people who have accompanied him during this time and wanted to be remembered for having made a "positive" contribution.

Yolanda Díaz herself has responded by thanking her for her "commitment and courage" and her way "of doing politics."

In his political career, Garzón assumed the leadership of IU in very difficult times for the formation due to the irruption of Podemos, which left them practically without space. However, first as a candidate and then also as a federal coordinator, he achieved what in 2014 and 2015 seemed impossible: he and Pablo Iglesias united their organizations under the same project in the general elections. It was in 2016 in that historic "bottlelines pact", for which Podemos and IU went in coalition to the electoral repetition to try to give the PSOE a sorpasso. Then they seemed to add the votes to give it, given the results of the elections of December 20, 2015, however, the PSOE resisted the order.

Since then, and not without tensions, Podemos and IU have coexisted, even increasing their collaboration and alliances, as has happened in the recent regional and municipal elections, where they reached a record number of pacts. However, Garzón was one of the first national leaders who knew how to read the political moment and aligned himself with Díaz unconditionally, making the IU one of the two organizational pillars that support the vice president and Sumar for more than a year.

Two names appear in the future of UI. Enrique Santiago, as general secretary of the PCE, and above all Sira Rego, number two of the formation and national spokesperson, who now also works as an MEP in Brussels.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project