Angel Franco goes free. The senior socialist leader distributes ballots for the PSOE Senate candidacy at the final stage of the general election, where his option appears to be specially marked – up to three can be specified. He strategically delivered them from different local groups in the province, especially among militants who had the loyalty of some prominent militants.
After the general elections, the PSOE will return the favor when it refers to the usual marketing of alliances and pacts expected in the face of congressional processes. Alicante elects four senators. Voting in the Upper House elections allows you to choose up to three candidates from the same option or three different candidates via an open list. Also do it for a single candidate. The PSOE’s options in the state of Alicante are to get a senator, so the slightest difference in favor of one of the three who appear in the socialist candidacy could be decisive in tipping the balance in Franco’s favour. In the socialist cause, the three candidates are guardamarenca Ana Martínez, oriolana Antonia Moreno and Ángel Franco.
In the last general election, PSOE won two (losing one), while PP won two more. If this trend continues on Sunday, at least one of the three Socialist candidates will not be elected for the Senate.
The usual thing is that voters take their electoral votes at home, where the boxes of three candidates with the same choice are already marked, or they decide their votes in booths in polling stations, which allow, for example, to elect a candidate from the PP, PSOE and Sumar in the same ballot. This is the closest thing to a nominal vote in the Spanish electoral system to individuals and open lists.
Franco innovates – or saves old traditions – and tries to place his own votes outside of other party members. If the ballots meet the standards of the Electoral College, it’s not irregular.
Trust
Franco’s strategy exploits the trust of his own socialist sympathizers in his party. If prominent members or leaders of local groups distribute these envelopes with a single box ticked, it is possible that many of the voters who collected them would not check and drop them directly at the ballot box.
In Vega Baja, where a last-minute attempt by Franco, a politician who specializes in housing in the Senate, was detected, this attempt confused some group members: 41 years ago, he was a Socialist senator for the first time in 1982, and repeated it in 1986, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2008.
The regional leadership vetoed it, but eventually the party’s federation in Madrid put him on the list, despite Ximo Puig’s refusal. Having a long career, Franco is known for his survival instinct and ability to condition many decisions at the Alicante PSOE, even when he has exhausted all his options.
Source: Informacion
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.