argia.eus
INPRIMATU
A political X-ray of Bilbao
  • We are in full swing in the electoral cycle. Days go from campaign to campaign. And, therefore, this month, I too wanted to look at Bilbao with election goggles.
Karlos Renedo @otxargorri Uriola.eus @uriolaeus 2019ko maiatzaren 07a
Bilboko Begoña auzoko datuen grafikoa

The first vote in this cycle, the elections of the Spanish State, has left us clues to do so.

To begin with, although some may think otherwise, in Euskal Herria the votes on the right have not disappeared, but are accumulating in the PNV. And it is true, that has shown that the political choice of this territory is very different from that of the state. In contrast to the "trifachive", a very large majority has opted for progressive voting, the independentist or the PNV, among others. But concentrating the right-wing vote on the PNV will, at the same time, continue to shape the direction of this party. Immobilism.

In order to continue, I was particularly struck by the attitude of the “new” Spanish parties following the elections. Citizens, as he once did Podemos with the PSOE, has clearly chosen to be the main opposition of the right, above pp, and has placed itself outside of a hypothetical government.

We can, for its part, move from “assault the sky” to holding the staircase to the PSOE. Many have wanted to see Ezker Batua 2.0 change in role and attitude. There is no appreciable chance of a "remontage" and there is the ambition of being the crutch of the PSOE.

On the other hand, for the first time in a long time, Left Independentist has managed to put his vote in these strange elections as an “instrument” to influence the state. Particularly in the countries where the epic has been set and the concrete objectives. The slogans #Aurrera Bel and especially #AgurMaroto channel the anti-fascist vote of thousands of people. The agreement with Catalonia and Galego, among others, has left 19 Members and may be the key to some policies at state level.

To conclude this round, we must remember that the vote of the extreme right has always been among us. Racism and hatred of the poor. Now we can better classify that vote and the results of Vox give us other data. The results are worrisome and directly related to the social class. But although some might think otherwise, the best results from the far right have been in high-income areas and not in working-class neighborhoods.

In Bilbao and in the run-up to the municipal elections, the results have left us with a rather complicated picture. I believe that in our city in the last decade two blocks are gradually being shaped.

In the first, we can locate the PNV and the satellite parties that share its urban policy (PSOE and PP), as well as some of the important economic and media powers of our city. What will happen in that block? The PSOE could maintain the wave of the general elections and avoid the decline it has suffered in the last municipal elections, so it would contribute to this political bloc. The right-wing vote is increasingly concentrating on the PNV. The pp has decided to put “ultrillas” on the list to prevent his votes from coming, probably, to Bilbainos, to Vox and to Citizens. However, I think they will soon repent: every time these ultra-liberal right opens their mouths, they will perhaps get some votes to remain in the PP, but at the same time they are getting thousands of votes to move to the PNV. It seems that the trend of the PNV is higher, although Aburto does not arouse much illusion among the bilbaiters. I would say that he was the mayor of grey Bilbao.

The second block is being configured in favor of another model of city and around social rights. He currently holds the leadership of EH Bildu in the municipal institution (4 councilors), being the second force of the city. He has had the complicity of Udalberri (2 councilors) or Goazen (2 councilors), but above all with the support of the popular powers of the city (popular parties, neighborhood associations, cultural agents, etc. ). ). We can therefore say that this block represents the diversity of Bilbao. Euskaldunes, feminists, movements for the rights of neighbourhoods, cultural creators, trade unionists, precarious young people, the host people, in favour of the alternative, abertzales, etc. Many levers will still have to be built to transform Bilbao, including media and economic tools. But in favour of this bloc we can put the demanding floods of the pensioners and feminists living in Bilbao.

Elkarrekin-Podemos, Goazen Bilbao or we win Bilbao will have difficulty repeating the results of the last elections. In addition, the cast of votes will not help to increase the number of councillors in this block. On the other hand, EH Bildu's candidate to the mayor of Bilbao, Jone Goirizelaia, is a woman with a long political trajectory and well known in Bilbao. In addition, she is a woman who by her character can easily shade Aburto. A woman who can represent thousands of women, seniors, migrants and young nuns who are diverse to a heteronormative-Christian-adult man, always brought in.

On May 26 he will give us another political picture of our city.

With one result or another, surely, with all the plurality and the nuances, two political blocs will again form in Bilbao. One, on the right, is around the PNV, with the parties that are willing to maintain the status quo, with the pp and the PSE in our case. On the other hand, the wealth we generate in Bilbao (economic, cultural, social, symbolic, etc.) It's a block of people who want to divide themselves between the bilbaits and the neighborhoods, based on justice and balance.

I have to say clearly that I would like this second block to come out as strong as possible. To work!