Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who rose in popularity due to her reticence to impose strict coronavirus restrictions last year, announced last week that she would dissolve her regional assembly and called for new elections on 4 May.
Díaz Ayuso’s decision came shortly after a no-confidence motion was filed by the Socialist Party against her conservative Popular Party (PP), the newspaper El País reported. Reports indicated there has been a regional strain between the conservative party and Ciudadanos, its liberal coalition partner.
The Financial Times noted Díaz Ayuso’s move came shortly after the Ciudadanos sided with the Socialist Party against the PP in a no-confidence vote in the region of Murcia. She saw the writing on the wall and worried a similar gambit could unfold in Madrid.
“I cannot allow Madrid to be brought to a stop… for taxes to be increased, schools to be indoctrinated and businesses to be closed,” Díaz Ayuso said, according to the FT.
The paper pointed out that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) identified Spain as the EU economy most affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Reuters reported earlier this month that the country’s jobless number rose above four million last month, due in large part to an 80-percent drop in tourism.
“The rise in unemployment, caused by the 3rd wave, is bad news, reflecting the structural flaws of the labor market that are accentuated by the pandemic,” said Yolanda Diaz, the country’s labor minister, according to Reuters.
Diaz Ayuso reportedly acted swiftly after the Ciudadanos move in Murica. She fired her deputy, who is a member of the Ciudadanos, and sent the regional department heads packing, according to El País.
Pablo Iglesias, vice president of the Spanish government and head of the political party Podemos, announced Monday that he would leave his post and face Díaz Ayuso in the 4 May election.
Iglesias released a video announcing his decision and said,
“Madrid needs a left-wing government and I think I can be useful. I have been thinking about it a lot and we have decided that if those registered want to, I will run for the elections in Madrid.”
TREND FORECAST: Among the European nations, Spain, of which nearly 14 percent of its GDP is tourism-related, has been hit extremely hard by COVID War lockdowns.
According to statista.com, the nation’s unemployment rate reached 19 percent last year and is expected to close out 2021 above 17 percent.
We note this to emphasize how there will be strong support of anti-tax, anti-lockdown, anti-vax, anti-establishment political movements, especially in nations such as Spain where many small businesses once thrived but have since been devastated by the COVID War.
