PSOE Secretary Embarrassed in Candidacy Gaffe

An embarrassing faux pas on the part of the secretary of municipal politics in Ronda’s PSOE who stated today that Antonio Marín Lara had been nominated as the party’s next mayoral candidate was quickly rubbished by party bosses.

Francisco Marquez, PSOE municipal secretary of the PSOE was commenting about speculation Marín Lara would be appointed mayoral candidate, and confirmed the party executive had approved Lara without a vote from party activists.

This in response to comments from officials in the Partido Popular (PP) at the weekend that a backroom deal had been agreed within the PSOE to choose Marín Lara instead of allowing party activists to vote on candidates under normal democratic principals.

PSOE general secretary Francisco Cañestro and mayor Antonio Marín Lara hastily organized a press conference several hours later to deny any backroom deal and assure party activists that no decision had been taken, and that a vote for list candidates would be taken in due course.

Sources inside PSOE Ronda have suggested to Ronda Today there is significant unease from PSOE party faithful that Marín Lara and his eight PA turncoats will be given preferential list placement over long time PSOE members as reward for abandoning the PA and giving the PSOE a governing majority during 2009.

Ronda Today understands that as many as 20% of PSOE activists may be tempted to vote PA in the next municipal elections if Marín Lara is appointed mayoral candidate simply our of revenge.

Francisco Cañestro is understood to be keen to find a compromise with disaffected PSOE activists, with the possibility several of the turncoat councillors may not in fact find their names on the party list thus preserving a sense of unity amongst PSOE party members and traditional voters.