Iglesias has expressed concern over the placement of Podemos candidates on the electoral lists, in positions that, according to him, do not guarantee the acquisition of seats. He stated that the agreement is not “very generous” with Podemos, as it foresees an absence of his party's deputies in the next Andalusian Parliament, making it difficult for the party to be satisfied with the pact.
“"Certainly, the agreement is not very generous with Podemos, because there will be no Podemos deputy in the next Andalusian Parliament. [Podemos] can hardly be satisfied with an agreement that gives it no representation."
These statements have caused discomfort within the Andalusian coalition, especially among the leaders of Izquierda Unida (IU), who began negotiations with Podemos in October 2024. There is also a sense of “premature weariness” within Podemos in Andalucía following Iglesias' initial criticism, made shortly after the agreement was signed for the Andalusian elections on May 17.
The candidate for Por Andalucía and federal coordinator of IU, Antonio Maíllo, has avoided direct confrontation, responding positively and highlighting the progressive electorate's “joy” for a coalition that prevents the dispersion of votes. Maíllo is immersed in the pre-campaign and seeks to avoid distractions that would divert him from his electoral goals.
However, Iglesias has insisted on his criticisms, reminding Maíllo of his stance in 2024, when he criticized Sumar for not giving a starting position to his candidate, Manu Pineda, in the European elections. On that occasion, Maíllo asked elected MEPs for generosity to cede part of their mandate. Iglesias has rhetorically questioned whether Maíllo would now ask IU deputies to do the same if no Podemos candidate secures a seat in Andalucía.
Podemos negotiators in Andalucía had requested two starting positions in key provinces to ensure their representation, but the other parties refused to modify the already established agreements. Finally, Podemos accepted that its candidates would be number one for Jaén and number two for Sevilla and Málaga. Iglesias' proposal would imply that figures such as Antonio Maíllo himself (number one for Sevilla) and Ernesto Alba (number one for Málaga) would cede their seats halfway through the legislature.
When asked about this hypothesis posed by Iglesias, Maíllo responded laconically, diverting attention with a reference to the geopolitical situation, which underscores the underlying tension within the coalition.
