Socialists won't support nationalist coalition NaBai for mayor

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The candidate of the Socialist Party of Navarre, Fernando Puras. Photo EFE

The Socialist Party of Navarre PSN announced on Monday evening that the party won't support the candidate of the Basque nationalist coalition Nafarroa Bai to take Pampona/Iruña's mayor's office. Thus, NaBAi's Uxue Barkos won't be mayor, as she would need socialists' and leftwing nationalist ANV's support.

PSN's board reached an agreement that said they won't accept any ANV vote and won't support any candidate that depends on the support of ANV. The board described ANV's main role as "unacceptable" and rejected any political combination that requires ANV's help. The guidelines are of "compulsory observance" by town councilmen and councilwomen.

Thus, the candidate of conservative Union of Navarran People UPN, Yolanda Barcina, will be re-elected mayor of Pamplona/Iruña on June 16, day set to constitute mayor's offices in Navarre and the Basque Autonomous Region.

NaBai's Uxue Barkos speaks for Radio Euskadi

Interviewed in the programme Ganbara of Radio Euskadi, Uxue Barkos affirmed that "eventually and somehow, we fell in the trap of the Popular Party." Nevertheless, Barkos assured that this decision won't affect negotiations to form the Government of Navarre.

In fact, NaBai is expected to meet with PSN soon.

Conservative UPN's reaction

In turn, the spokesman for PP's branch in Navarre, Carlos Garcia Adanero, said that PSN's decision was "the reasonable and what most of their voters and militants expected."