Heads are rolling at the PSOE after their disastrous showing at the EU elections. Although they were still the second most voted party, their share of the vote more than halved, to just 23%, and lost 9 MEP’s.
And so there will be “a new direction”. An extraordinary general meeting of the PSOE has been called for the 19-20 July, in which “a new direction” will be voted for.
This is generally taken to mean a new boss.
Rubalcaba, the hunchbacked twisted little gnome who runs the PSOE, has consistently failed to make any inroads into the PP lead over his party. Spain is seeing the worst crisis since the Civil War, and he’s failed to make any impression with the voters.
Rajoy’s PP party has done nothing but break election promises, raise taxes, increase the cost of living and fail to create employments, but has been able to shrug off the PSOE attack. And the PSOE can’t attack the PP corruption cases, as they’re just as corrupt.
All Rubalcaba has managed to do is lose election after election and see his share of the vote disappear to minority parties. He fights with the “party barons”, the leaders of the regional parties, and has almost managed to cause the Catalan and Basque PSOE parties to split from the main grouping.
And yet he’s still there. Mainly by brute force.
There had been an attempt to overthrow him after the last general election, but it failed. Since then, he’s ruled the party with an iron grip. The suspicion was that he’d see the party through this term, and would be replaced by someone more charismatic just before the next election.
Trouble is, if they carry on like this, they won’t have a party to put forwards at the next election.
After all, the PP put up as chief MEP a fat bearded chauvinist who rolls around drunk all the time declaring that women are intellectually inferior to him, and the PSOE couldn’t even manage to extract a proper apology from him in three weeks of making it headline news.
Their share of the vote has been reduced to the bare minimum. The hardcore of PSOE party members, and employees of the regions where the PSOE rule. They appear rudderless, inept, divided and without a bloody clue.
The question is whether the EGM called for July will announce new primaries to select a leader, or if they will appoint a new leader without elections, under the pretence that “there isn’t time before the General Election”. The PSOE has never been keen on primaries, they’re far too unpredictable. Instead, it’s so much easier if the Executive of the Party just makes the decision.
A hardcore anti-Rubalcaba wing has already come forwards to demand that Rubalcaba resign now and call for a general primary, something that the leadership hasn’t indicated it’s willing to do.
Rubalcaba hasn’t announced any resignation, or even hinted that he’s going. It’s perfectly possible that he’s still planning on a final throw of the dice and will managed to convince the Executive to back him for the next election.
We shall see….
Having spent 24 hours listening to politicians & experts analysing the results of the euro elections I am convinced that most don’t get it. More worrying the electorate don’t get it either.
Whilst there are differences between countries many have voted for paries that express anger and/or disapointment with the status quo but actually embrece policies which would make things worse. Can you imagine being governed by UKIP, National Front, Podemus or Italian clowns.
European nations must look a few years ahead – individual nations, even Germany, will be among the smaller nations, France and UK will not be permanent members of the Security Council – thus EU membership is a must both politically and economically.
Ageing populations will need young imigrants to both work and pay into tax and social security.
Our present leaders need a kicking but not from bother boys!