11th Federal Assembly of United Left (Spain)

11th Federal Assembly of IU
← 2012 26–29 May 2016 (primary)
4–5 June 2016 (assembly)		 2021 →
90 (of 150) delegates in the 11th Federal Assembly of IU
Plurality of delegates needed to win
Registered22,321 (primary)
Turnout8,548 (38.30%) (primary)
101 (67.33%) (assembly)
 
Candidate Alberto Garzón Paloma López Bermejo Tasio Oliver
Popular vote 6,382 (74.7%) 1,776 (20.8%) 390 (4.6%)
Delegate count 68 18 4
Executive vote 83 (82.18%) Eliminated Eliminated
Coordinator before election

Cayo Lara

 Elected Coordinator

Alberto Garzón

The 11th Federal Assembly of United Left was held in Madrid from 4 June to 5 June 2016, to renovate the governing bodies of United Left (IU) and establish the party's main lines of action and strategy for the next leadership term. A primary election to elect the new general coordinator of the party was held from 26 May to 29 May 2016. This was the first leadership election in IU's history in which all the party members were allowed to vote.

The congress was held just before the 2016 Spanish general election, which IU contested in a coalition with Podemos.[1] This decision produced an internal rift, leaving the party divided into three factions. The first one was composed of incumbent General Coordinator Cayo Lara and members of the old guard who were radically against any alliance with Podemos. The second was led by IU's spokesman in the Congress of Deputies Alberto Garzón—who was contesting the general election for Unidos Podemos—and received the support of the majority sector of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) and of most of the IU federations. The third sector was made up of members of Open Left (IzAb), the party led by former general coordinator Gaspar Llamazares, a longtime critic of Lara's leadership.

The leadership election saw a generational renovation with Garzón becoming the new general coordinator in a landslide as he received 74.7% of the members vote. Meanwhile, the candidacy of Paloma López Bermejo—supported by Lara and the old guard—received 20.8% of the vote and the candidate of IzAb, Tasio Oliver, finished last with just 4.6% of support.[2][3][4]

Candidates

Candidate Age Notable positions Announced Eliminated Ref.

Elected

Candidate elected as general coordinator.
Alberto Garzón 		30 Deputy in the Cortes Generales for Málaga and Madrid (since 2011) 26 March 2016 checkY Elected [5]

Proclaimed

Candidates who met the endorsement requirement and were officially proclaimed to contest the primary election.
Paloma López
Bermejo 		54 Member of the European Parliament for Spain (since 2014)
Secretary of Employment and Migrations of Workers' Commissions (2008–2014) 		20 April 2016 30 May 2016 [6]
[7]
Tasio Oliver 		38 Mayor of Castilleja de Guzmán (since 2015)
City Councillor of Castilleja de Guzmán (since 2007) 		15 March 2016 30 May 2016 [8]

Withdrawn

Candidates who met the endorsement requirement but withdrew prior to the primary election.
Álvaro García
Mancheño 		? City Councillor of Pedrera (since 2007)
Member of the Parliament of Andalusia for Seville (2014–2015) 		16 May 2016 – [9]
[10]

Endorsements

Total

Candidates seeking to run were required to collect the endorsements of at least 400 party members or 5% of the total Federal Political Council (CPF) members.[11]

Summary of candidate endorsement results
Candidate Endorsements
Party members CPF members
Count % T % V Count % T % V
Alberto Garzón 2,813 12.60 63.11 99 40.57 57.89
Paloma López Bermejo 794 3.56 17.81 27 11.07 15.79
Tasio Oliver 422 1.89 9.47 24 9.84 14.04
Álvaro García Mancheño 318 1.42 7.13 18 7.38 10.53
Others 110 0.49 2.47 3 1.23 1.75
Total 4,457 171
Valid endorsements 4,457 16.07 171 70.08
Not endorsing 17,864 83.93 73 29.92
Total members 22,321 244
Sources[11][12]
Endorsements by party members
Garzón
 
 63.11%
López Bermejo
 
 17.81%
Oliver
 
 9.47%
García Mancheño
 
 7.13%
Others
 
 2.47%
Endorsements by CPF members
Garzón
 
 57.89%
López Bermejo
 
 15.79%
Oliver
 
 14.04%
García Mancheño
 
 10.53%
Others
 
 1.75%

Public endorsements

Alberto Garzón

Alberto Garzón's endorsements

Paloma López Bermejo

Paloma López Bermejo's endorsements

Tasio Oliver

Tasio Oliver's endorsements
Political Parties

Álvaro García Mancheño

Álvaro García Mancheño's endorsements
Political Parties

Results

Summary of the 26 May–5 June 2016 IU assembly results
Candidate Primary Assembly
Votes % Del. Votes %
Alberto Garzón 6,382 74.66 68 83 82.18
Paloma López Bermejo 1,776 20.78 18 Eliminated
Tasio Oliver 390 4.56 4 Eliminated
Blank ballots 0 0.00 18 17.82
Total 8,548 90 101
Valid votes 8,548 100.00 101 67.33
Invalid votes 0 0.00 0 0.00
Votes cast / turnout 8,548 38.30 101 67.33
Abstentions 13,773 61.70 49 32.67
Registered voters 22,321 150
Sources[15][9][16]
Vote by party members
Garzón
 
 74.66%
López Bermejo
 
 20.78%
Oliver
 
 4.56%
Vote by delegates
Garzón
 
 82.18%
Blank ballots
 
 17.82%

References

  1. ^ Riveiro, Aitor (9 May 2016). "Podemos e IU cierran el acuerdo para ir juntos a las elecciones el 26J". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  2. ^ Romero, Juanma (30 May 2016). "Garzón arrasa: asume el liderazgo de IU por el 75% del voto de los militantes". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  3. ^ Romero, Juanma (5 June 2016). "Garzón integra a las minorías en su ejecutiva y da paso a una nueva generación". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Partido Comunista de España / Izquierda Unida / P.S.U.C. / Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds". Historia Electoral.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Alberto Garzón defenderá "la más amplia unidad popular" en la Asamblea Federal de IU". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. EFE. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  6. ^ Riveiro, Aitor (15 February 2016). "Dirigentes y cargos de IU próximos a Cayo Lara y Llamazares se unen frente a Alberto Garzón". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  7. ^ Ruiz, Mar (20 April 2016). "La eurodiputada Paloma López optará a liderar Izquierda Unida" (in Spanish). Madrid: Cadena SER. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  8. ^ "El partido de Llamazares presenta una candidatura rival a Garzón para liderar IU". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 15 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b Romero, Juanma (16 May 2016). "Garzón elige como su dos en IU a la portavoz en Europa y deja a su lado al líder del PCE". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b Romero, Juanma (29 May 2016). "IU se prepara para encumbrar a Garzón como líder por un amplio respaldo de las bases". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b Romero, Juanma (10 April 2016). "Garzón salva los últimos escollos internos antes de asumir las riendas de IU". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  12. ^ "INFORME DE DOCUMENTOS AVALADOS" (PDF). static.ecestaticos.com. 7 April 2016.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Los proyectos de Garzón, Cayo Lara y Llamazares competirán por el liderazgo de IU" (in Spanish). Madrid. Europa Press. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Alberto Garzón coloca a la portavoz en la Eurocámara, Marina Albiol, de número dos en su lista para la Asamblea de IU". elDiario.es (in Spanish). 16 May 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  15. ^ Vargas, Jairo (30 May 2016). "Garzón se asegura el liderato de IU con un arrollador apoyo de las bases". Público (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Alberto Garzón, elegido oficialmente coordinador federal de IU" (in Spanish). Madrid. Europa Press. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2023.