Spain's leftist Podemos says to sign deal with Diaz's Sumar in elections

Spain's far-left party Podemos intends to run in next month's election with Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz's party Sumar, Podemos general secretary Ione Belarra said on Friday, just hours before the expiry of a deadline for all parties to register. Podemos, the Socialist Party's junior partner in the ruling coalition, lost ground in the regional and municipal elections held on May 28.

Spain's far-left party Podemos intends to run in next month's election with Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz's party Sumar, Podemos general secretary Ione Belarra said on Friday, just hours before the expiry of a deadline for all parties to register.

Podemos, the Socialist Party's junior partner in the ruling coalition, lost ground in the regional and municipal elections held on May 28. If Podemos and Sumar were to run separately, polls suggest they would split the vote and each end up with fewer seats. "We'll run in the general election with Sumar, the decision has been made," she said in a speech in the party's headquarters after asking the party's base to vote on the issue.

Belarra added though that the two parties still have disagreements to settle, most notably Sumar's opposition to the candidacy of current Equality Minister, Podemos' Irene Montero. Belarra said Podemos would not accept any veto against "a comrade who has pushed the feminist transformation further than anyone else before", adding that her party would continue to hold out on signing the paperwork, which must be submitted before midnight on Friday.

Montero was heavily criticized for a law she sponsored on sex crimes that included a loophole allowing many rapists to get lighter sentences. "We hope we don't have to wait until the last minute to register the coalition," Belarra said. "The agreement can be reached in a very short time if there is a will on the part of Yolanda."

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