The division in the ranks of the left has been the most distinctive note of the celebrations of this March 8th, the date on which International Women's Day is commemorated and feminist struggles are reasserted. Catalonia has been, perhaps, an exception, and the decibel level has been much lower than in other parts of the Spanish state, especially Madrid, where the sociological right largely dominates the debate, sets the tone and is able to tilt at least a part of the left towards more conservative positions. The damage that implies - in an electorate that is very tense due to the division between the Socialists (PSOE) and Unidas Podemos when it comes to tackling the reform of the 'Only yes means yes' law - is that the Pedro Sánchez government's about-turn in its accords with the junior partner begins to feel like the end of a cycle. The public, meanwhile, does not understand the partisan games that are being played and the only thing that most people see is that the People's Party (PP) and Vox are warming up like athletes before they start the race for the Moncloa government palace, and all that the left is doing is engaging in internal battles and wasting the opportunity provided by Spain's first ever coalition government.
The Spanish minister of equality, Irene Montero, who is accumulating criticism from both the right and the left over the handling of the department and some of its star projects, was the victim, this International Women's Day, of a group of transphobes who booed her in Madrid and heckled her equality ministry event. It was, perhaps, one of the most obvious indications that the harmony of previous years had been broken. It is always easier for the coalition partners to be cohesive against the PP, but the trick is knowing how to live with problems in which points of view are naturally different because the proposals of each party are different. The fact that in the leadership of both political groups there has been a certain permissiveness over appearing more confronted than ever in these last few hours only made it more likely that this rarefied atmosphere and lack of political unity would also end up becoming visible in the street mobilizations.
The Socialists and Unidas Podemos have reached this March 8th in a state of great mutual irritation, something that usually precedes elections that they know will not be easy at all. They have enormous vulnerabilities in many of their policies, together with the difficult economic situation that affects a very significant part of the population. Nor can it be said that the administration that calls itself the most progressive government in history has been able to change certain major dynamics, for example, with respect to relations with Catalonia. The latest case that has been the subject of debate these days and irritation in Catalonia has to do with the financing of the Atlantic rail corridor, in which the Spanish government is to invest 16 billion euros, while delays in the Mediterranean corridor have become standard fare. Attempts to apply pressure on the issue are of little use even though new assurances have continued to be made ever since a rain of millions was promised - it never arrived and was, in fact, the prelude to a drought that, in the Madrid offices, always has some explanation.
With the incidents of this 8th March past, we will see if in the coming weeks the PSOE and Unidas Podemos are able to mend the broken stitches that appeared with the 'Only yes means yes' law and that could may end up affecting other legislation still be voted on in the coming months in Congress. The temptation of the PSOE to turn to the PP thinking that this could give it oxygen on the right and in the centre - as it has done with the sexual freedom law - is a mistaken view of the problem. The conservative vote is currently much more committed than it seems and has been become even more secure because of the PSOE's pacts with Unidas Podemos, Bildu and ERC. It is not a place where Pedro Sánchez will be able to eke out very much, even if at other times it has been a PSOE stronghold. The fracture that he has imposed during this legislature forces him to go all the way with the partners of recent years, because his credibility in the other Spain is non-existent.