Irene Montero announces general election candidacy and proposes open primaries for Spain's left

Candidacy announcement and open primary proposal

On 12 September 2026, Irene Montero formally announced her bid to lead an alternative left ticket in Spain's upcoming general elections during a party rally in Madrid. Speaking at the event titled "Paz, casa, trabajo" near the Tribunal metro station, the Member of the European Parliament and former Minister of Equality called for open primaries accessible to all citizens to select the entire candidate slate. Montero stated that the electoral team should be chosen by members of the public alongside Podemos supporters rather than through internal party mechanisms. Her public announcement followed a social media message posted the previous day inviting supporters to the gathering.

“I want to be your candidate, but I do not want to be so in just any way. I want to be your candidate through open primaries for everyone, in which the entire team can be elected.”

Economic and social policy platform

Montero outlined the central priorities of her program, focusing on housing regulation, labor rights, and cost-of-living interventions. Her proposals include setting the national statutory minimum wage at 1,800 euros per month, capping food prices, lowering energy tariffs, and establishing strict limits on residential rents. She also called for reducing weekly working hours, with party materials and remarks citing targets between 30 and 35 hours per week. During her address, Montero rejected additional military expenditure, demanding that no further funds be allocated to armaments, and urged stricter climate emergency measures. She targeted corporate leaders and institutions, singling out Mercadona chairman Juan Roig, Banco Santander, and Repsol, while criticizing Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso and Vox leader Santiago Abascal.

“The system has to change and stop working against the people.”

Fragmented left and electoral pressure on Sumar

The move directly challenges the coalition partners within Sumar, the junior partner in Spain's governing coalition, which comprises Movimiento Sumar, Izquierda Unida, Más Madrid, and Catalunya en Comú. Sumar has not yet selected a prime ministerial candidate or finalized its electoral brand for the elections scheduled for 2027. Relations between the two left-wing forces fractured in December 2023 when Podemos withdrew from the Sumar parliamentary group following internal disputes over cabinet posts and influence. Recent polling conducted by 40dB. for El País and Cadena SER places Podemos at 2.8% of voting intention and Sumar at 5.7%, representing a combined drop of 3.8 percentage points compared to their 2023 general election result.

Sumar5.7%

Podemos2.8%

Sumar

5.7 %

Podemos

2.8 %

Data from the article text

Party alignment and regional races

Podemos previously attempted to build an electoral alliance with Gabriel Rufián, the congressional spokesperson for Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, but that initiative dissolved prior to the summer without reaching an agreement. At Saturday's event, Montero appeared alongside Podemos Secretary General Ione Belarra, who announced her own candidacy for the regional presidency of the Community of Madrid. Belarra denounced anti-migrant rhetoric regarding arrivals in Ceuta, rejecting descriptions of migratory movements as an invasion, and warned against far-right violence across Spain. The rally also featured addresses from Podemos antiracism secretary Serigne Mbayé and transgender rights activist Mar Cambrollé, reinforcing the party's focus on civil rights and social mobilization.