PSOE critics demand elections this year and Sánchez's exit

PSOE critics demand elections this year and Sánchez's exit

The internal faction ReActiva has thrown down the gauntlet on the eve of the Federal Committee meeting: they want general elections before the end of the year and, above all, for Pedro Sánchez not to lead the party's ticket. In their statement, they denounce a "credibility crisis" worsened by alleged corruption scandals and actions that, they claim, have distanced the party from its principles. The message, leaked at the last minute, opens a rift within Spain's Socialist Party just as its Executive Board was preparing to approve the roadmap for the new political season.

What does the ReActiva faction argue?

ReActiva is calling on the members of the Federal Committee to "be honest about the critical situation" and demands a "normalized transition to a new era" without Sánchez. They believe the secretary general has concentrated too much power and that his continued leadership weighs down the party's electoral prospects. The critics recall the precedent of Susana Díaz, when the leader's departure did not prevent an electoral collapse, but they insist that the current situation is unsustainable.

Two problems, an impossible equation

The analysis runs in two opposite directions. On one hand, voices inside and outside the party argue that Sánchez is a liability because of his personalist leadership and the scandals surrounding him. On the other, some contend that the critics are even worse than the leader: without Sánchez, the PSOE could lose between one and two million voters who came from Unidas Podemos and who, faced with an alternative candidate, would either abstain or defect to a new party. The paradox is that neither the critics nor those loyal to the leadership can guarantee a graceful way out.

The specter of a incivil conviction in the background

The debate is not limited to the ballot box. Some analysts suggest the PSOE could face a conviction as a incivil organization, which would bar it from standing in future elections. Meanwhile, on social media and in political gossip circles, a theory is circulating that Sánchez is delaying the elections in order to pass the so-called "grandchildren law," which would supposedly guarantee him a fraudulent victory. A conspiracy that, absent any evidence, fuels distrust.

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Under these conditions, the Federal Committee meeting promises to be one for the history books. Sánchez's future is at stake, as is the critics' credibility and the party's very survival. The end of the year will tell whether internal pressure manages to bring down the leader or whether, as peine with Susana Díaz, those calling for his head end up digging their own electoral grave.