The situation in Spain's Popular Party (PP) was already totally unsustainable. Leader Pablo Casado had almost the entire party against him. And in the end he has given way over two decisions. The first, to make the sacrifice that many were demanding, delivering the head of his right hand man and party general secretary Teodoro García Egea. The second is to convene a special party congress to elect a new leader. In this way he avoids resigning but gives the critics what they wanted. This conclave will be officially presented for approval next Tuesday at a meeting of the party's national board of direction, made up of about 550 public office holders within the PP. This is Casado's plan. It remains to be seen whether the critics will buy it.
Casado has been increasingly isolated since he decided to make a stand yesterday. Probably, the blow that made him lose his balance was the loss of one of his last remaining allies, the president of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, close to secretary general Teodoro García Egea. In statements to the media, López Miras defended the need for a special congress because "urgent measures" are needed. With this statement he puts himself alongside the PP's other regional government presidents: Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, Juanma Moreno and Alfonso Mañueco.
And these were not the only movements. This Tuesday morning, after a meeting, seven members of the party board of direction who are MPs in the Congress of Deputies signed a manifesto calling for the immediate cessation of secretary general Teodoro García Egea and the convening of a party congress to choose a new president for the main party of the Spanish right. Parliamentary spokespeople have stepped up the pressure further this afternoon. This has been the case of Senate spokesperson Javier Maroto, who has urgently called for a special congress: "The PP needs it and Spain needs it." European Parliament spokesperson Dolors Montserrat also warned that "we can't prolong the party's agony any longer". And Congressional spokesperson Cuca Gamarra made a call to "think of the PP and of Spain."
Ratifico de nuevo hoy la exigencia que ya expresé ayer en el Comité de Dirección Nacional de @populares para que se celebre un congreso extraordinario de forma urgente. Lo necesita el PP y lo necesita España
— Javier Maroto (@JavierMaroto) February 22, 2022
"I confirm again today the demand that I already expressed yesterday at the meeting of the PP national management committee for a special party congress to be held urgently. The PP needs it and Spain needs it"— Javier Maroto, Spanish senator
Ayer pedí celebrar urgentemente, sin enrocamiento, un Congreso Extraordinario para salir de esta grave situación.
— Dolors Montserrat (@DolorsMM) February 22, 2022
Ante la inacción, insisto en esta exigencia. No podemos alargar más la agonía que vive el partido.
El PP y los españoles no se merecen esto que está ocurriendo.
"Yesterday I asked for a special party congress to be held urgently, without resistance, in order to get out of this serious situation. In the face of the inaction, I reiterate this demand. We cannot prolong any further the agony that the party is experiencing. The PP and the Spaniards do not deserve what is happening." — Dolors Montserrat, Spanish MEP
Me ratifico en lo que trasladé ayer en el Comité de Dirección de @populares, que se celebre un congreso extraordinario con unidad para superar esta situación.
— Cuca Gamarra (@cucagamarra) February 22, 2022
Pensemos todos en el PP y en España. Nos necesitan y se lo debemos.
"I stand by what I conveyed yesterday to the PP management committee, that a special party congress should be agreed to with unity to overcome this situation. Let's all think of the PP and of Spain. They need us and we owe it to them."— Cuca Gamarra, Spanish MP
The crisis erupted five days ago, with mutual accusations of corruption and espionage between the leadership of Pablo Casado and Community of Madrid president Isabel Diaz Ayuso. The Madrid leader managed to win the first assault against the brass of the Calle Génova party HQ, who have been under increasing internal pressure since then.
Resignations among hard-core supporters
The meeting of the PP management committee - essentially, Casado's inner circle - on Monday, was anything but placid. It lasted almost nine hours and left deep wounds. In addition to Egea, there are already three resignations within Casado's hard core, who have now jumped ship. The first, an expected one: that of the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, who yesterday was already privately conveying his will to drop his role within the party to focus on the city. In fact, he was not even present at the long meeting yesterday. Almeida explained in statements to the media that the decision was taken in agreement with Casado, but the reality is that it comes at the worst possible time.
To this departure must be added those of Andrea Levy, who was president of the rights and guarantees committee, and Belén Hoyo, until yesterday president of the electoral committee. Both presented their resignations yesterday during the meeting of the management committee. At the same meeting, Pablo Casado clung to his position and decided to call a national direction meeting, consisting of the PP's 550 public office holders, for next Tuesday.
Outside Casado's management committee, there were also resignations. This is the case of the state secretary for emigration and head of the PP Abroad, the Galician Ana Vázquez, who announced her resignation from this position due to "changes" in the party.