Podemos party members in leadership vote of confidence following purchase of €600,000 is seen as undermining Party’s credibility
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Podemos head Pablo Iglesias and his partner Irene Montero, the party’s parliamentary spokeswoman, called a members’ vote of confidence in response to complaints about their €600.000, 268 square-meter villa, equipped with a swimming pool and guest house, on the outskirts of Madrid.
The leader of Spain’s anti-austerity Podemos party and its parliamentary spokeswoman submitted themselves to confidence vote after being accused of betraying the party’s principles and joining the petty bourgeoisie by purchasing the property. Among those who have criticised the move is José María González, the Podemos mayor of Cádiz.
“Podemos’s ethics code isn’t a formality,” he said. “It’s a commitment to living like working people so that you can represent them.”
Half a million people registered as Podemos party members will be able to vote between Tuesday and Sunday on whether to oust the couple from their posts in the party and parliament.
The acquisition of the villa has drawn intense scrutiny, which threatens to undermine the credibility of the far-left party.
Podemos appeared on the Spanish political scene in 2014 threatening to upset the traditional dominance of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party and the Socialists. It has long touted its working-class origins and accused the political establishment of living lavish lifestyles.
Podemos head Pablo Iglesias and his partner Irene Montero, the party’s parliamentary spokeswoman, called a members’ vote of confidence in response to complaints about their €600.000, 268 square-meter villa, equipped with a swimming pool and guest house, on the outskirts of Madrid.
