The PSOE has regained its composure after five days of uncertainty, during which not only the presidency of the Government was at stake. The party is once again united, and although all sources consulted agree that Pedro Sánchez’s leadership is not in question, the General Secretary of the PSOE laid the groundwork for discussing a scenario that was previously a taboo: post-sanchismo. Sánchez, who was on the verge of resigning as the second highest authority in the state due to his family, is now trying to nip in the bud any succession debate that he himself has sown in the PSOE. He affirmed his intention to continue leading the party and run as a candidate in the next general elections in 2027 if the legislature is completed.
Sánchez’s words come after a week of speculation about his future, from the possibility of him aiming for a position in the European sphere to the real risk of a sudden power vacuum, which caused panic within the party, as sources from Ferraz acknowledge. This mobilized efforts to retain the president. While no one in the PSOE leadership wanted to entertain the idea of stepping aside, succession discussions inevitably arose. Names like Vice President María Jesús Montero, or the spokesperson of the Government and Minister of Education and Sports, Pilar Alegría, circulated as potential options for a hypothetical investiture. At the Federal Committee meeting on Saturday, which started in a somber mood, the presence of ex Vice Secretary General Adriana Lastra in the spotlight did not go unnoticed by some members of the Executive.
It has been widely discussed within the ranks of the PSOE that Sánchez only summoned Vice President María Jesús Montero, Minister of Presidency Félix Bolaños, Secretary of Organization Santos Cerdán, and his Chief of Staff Óscar López to the Moncloa on Monday to communicate his decision. Two other ministers with significant influence in recent times, Pilar Alegría and Minister of Transport Óscar Puente, were not invited. Sources from Ferraz and La Moncloa justify this decision, emphasizing that the attendees represented the leadership of the Government and the party, and any other interpretations are speculative. “The succession debate does not exist at this point,” states a party member familiar with the inner workings of both the party and the Government, highlighting the need to move past the recent traumatic situation as soon as possible.
With the fear of the General Secretary’s resignation alleviated, the PSOE now awaits the celebration of its 41st Federal Congress to activate the renewal of its Executive Committee and, more importantly, of the territorial leadership, which Ferraz wants to strengthen. Only the congresses of Extremadura, Valencia, and Galicia have been held so far. The plan is to convene the others after the federal congress, which is expected to take place in 2025, although there is a possibility of an earlier date in autumn. “That could give us some idea of which way the wind is blowing,” explains a veteran of many organizational processes within the party. Moving the congress a few months earlier would allow the party to prepare for the regional and municipal elections of 2025 in advance.
The previous Federal Congress was held in Valencia in October 2021. The PSOE statutes state that the Federal Congress “ordinarily meets between the third and fourth year after the previous Ordinary Congress,” but “it may be postponed for a maximum of one year, by explicit decision of the Federal Committee when there are sufficient justifying reasons.” Subscribe for more updates on this ongoing situation.
