Podemos, the left-wing party that is no longer part of Sumar, the junior partner in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez‘s executive, will not stand in Catalonia’s snap elections on 12 May so as not to “fragment” the progressive forces taking part in the regional elections, according to party sources.

According to Podemos, which left Sumar last December, running in the elections with its Catalan affiliate Podem-Catalonia could jeopardise the announced victory of the left, Euractiv’s partner EFE reported.

“At a time of uncertainty and political instability in Catalonia, we choose not to collaborate in the fragmentation of the left, as this only benefits the right (Partido Popular/EPP) and the far-right (Vox/ECR). For this reason, in an exercise of responsibility towards the Catalan citizens, we have decided not to stand in the (regional) elections”, Podemos said in a statement.

The latest polls point to a landslide victory for the leader of the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and former health minister Salvador Illa, with a tight contest for second place between right-wing separatist party JxCat of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and its left-wing rival ERC.

According to Podemos leaders, now is the time to join forces to ensure that the left wins in Catalonia on 12 May and to look to the European elections with hope.

“It is time for all our resources and forces to be focused on the European elections” on 9 June, said the progressive formation.

Podemos has five deputies in the Spanish parliament, who, after splitting from Sumar, have joined a heterogeneous group called the Mixed Group (Grupo Mixto).

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)

Read more with Euractiv

EU elections crucial for Swedish Centre Party’s leadership

The European elections this June will be critical for the leadership of Sweden’s opposition Centre Party, which faces extremely low numbers in the polls and lacks familiar faces on its EU election list.