Mónica García Quits Frente Amplio List, Vows to Run as a One-Woman Party Named After Herself
Spain's health minister withdraws from the left coalition's electoral list and immediately registers a new party whose only member, candidate and campaign slogan is Mónica García.
Mónica García, Spain's health minister, has withdrawn from the Frente Amplio list for the November 29 general election and, within the same hour, registered a new political party whose entire membership, national executive and candidate roster consists of Mónica García. The party is called Mónica García.
At a press conference held in a corridor because every room in the ministry was booked for the party's founding congress, García explained that she had grown tired of negotiating list positions with allies and had decided to negotiate with herself instead. «The talks were difficult,» she said, «but I am confident we can reach an agreement.»
By Tuesday afternoon the new party had opened branch offices in all seventeen autonomous communities, each staffed by a cardboard cutout of the minister and a folding chair. Party membership has been capped at one to preserve what García called «ideological coherence.» The cutouts have been issued identical campaign schedules and are currently touring Spain in a single rented van.
More Madrid, which had proposed García as its number two, has responded by printing new ballots on which the party logo is simply a photograph of García pointing at the voter. Coalition partners have been informed that any future negotiations will be conducted by García with García, and that minutes will be taken by García.
García confirmed she will continue as health minister while campaigning, and that her first act as leader of her own party will be to endorse herself for president. Asked whether the party might one day admit a second member, she said the question was «premature» and referred it to the membership, which is her.
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