David de la Cruz, currently a city councillor in Cádiz, is a journalist by profession. A member of Anticapitalistas Andalucía and one of the leaders of Adelante Andalucía, he experienced the election campaign intensely and with the pent-up emotions of the night of the vote count on May 17th. He spoke to Manuel Gari of Viento Sur.
Manuel Garí: First and foremost, my/our congratulations on behalf of Viento Sur for the result obtained by Adelante. Before delving into political assessments and lessons, I ask you, as a journalist, what are the most relevant facts that these elections have revealed?
David de la Cruz: For me, there are three key and spectacular factors. First, historically, no political party in Andalusia has ever experienced such growth in four years. We do have cases like Podemos, but it wasn’t a new force, and of course, the context was completely different. Going from 2 to 8 members of parliament is historic.
Second, we even overtook the far right in two provinces. In Seville and Cádiz, we are the third largest party.
In the city of Cádiz, we became the second largest party. And, extrapolating from the results of all political parties, even knowing that each election is unique, [with this result] Adelante would win the mayoralty.
Furthermore, in the main working-class neighbourhoods of the provinces of Cádiz and Seville, we are the leading party.
M.G.: In light of what you’re saying, give me a headline?
D.C.: Adelante Andalucía wrests absolute majority from the Partido Popular [People’s Party or PP].
M. G.: I mentioned earlier the restrained emotion you displayed on election night at the Yerbabuena Social Center in Jerez. Does that reflect the contradictory political feelings regarding the results?
D.C.: Indeed. It’s true that the results for Adelante Andalucía are very positive, but we’re not in politics to win seats. The objective was clear: to oust the right wing. Now we find ourselves with a government in Andalusia where the neoliberal, reactionary, and racist policies of the PP and Vox will continue for four years. And that has significant implications in terms of the loss of fundamental rights and the dismantling of public services.
In reality, Vox is not progressing as it had promised; it has shown its true fascist face during the campaign, and we have denounced it as such. On the other hand, the PP’s campaign marketing, presenting a supposed moderation under the leadership of Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, has been exposed by their continued close ties with Vox, whom they are now being asked for support to govern. However, there are two factors that will besiege the right wing. First, a stronger, more tenacious, and incisive opposition with eight members of parliament from Adelante. Second, the organisation and struggle in the streets, where we are and, with redoubled effort, will be with the social mobilisation. As we said on election night, the end of the right wing’s reign began on May 17th.
M. G.: Let’s talk about the campaign. What accounts for the buzz and reception it has received? Several experts have emphasised the innovative communication strategies you’ve employed.
D.C.: It’s true that we could talk here about José Ignacio’s [2] fresh and innovative discourse, which combines a profoundly political approach with a very simple understanding, despite the inherent complexity of that. We could also talk about his use of social media or language.
But for me, there are two key elements: our campaign hasn’t been about political manoeuvering, but rather about what matters, the essential issues that affect Andalusia: housing, healthcare, education, and rights. Also, the grassroots, tireless work of Adelante, in every conflict, in every municipality, and in every neighbourhood, work that has been building for many years. All of this has been woven together by a candidate with whom people identify because he experiences the same problems and because he speaks from a place of joy, not anger.
M. G.: Other commentators have given more importance to the combination of reasonable proposals because they are disruptive (the what) and others to the subjective elements (the how). How have you combined radical reason and popular emotion?
D.C.: By filling them with common sense. It’s illogical that housing should be for speculation and not for living in. Anything other than that is antisocial and unnatural. It’s illogical that banks or vulture funds own 7,000 or 10,000 homes.
It’s also illogical that billions of Euros go to private healthcare while there are no appointments available at your local primary care center. It’s illogical that taxes are cut for the wealthy or that gym memberships are tax-restricted while private insurance premiums rise because waiting lists are endless.
It simply isn’t logical that your child’s school lunch is in the hands of a multinational corporation that cooks it with substandard ingredients thousands of kilometres away.
Capitalism tries to legitimise things that are inherently illogical, things that are profoundly unnatural and antisocial. And when these are pointed out, the lies of this system crumble, they fall apart.
And this is happening with the PP and the far right, who want you to believe that the housing problem is squatting, not the enrichment of a minority at the expense of your misery.
M.G.: To whom and to which sectors did you primarily address yourselves during the campaign?
D.C.: To the people of Andalusia —in the broadest sense. To the working class. To the diverse, heterogeneous social majority, who are kept awake at night by the same worries. To 99 percent of the population who share the same concerns. Ultimately, and I think we need to remember this, to the social majority. Because that’s who we are.
M. G.: In that target group, what place does youth occupy?
D.C.: That’s the key. Vox wants to channel the youth vote. We’ve been led to believe that young people are right-wing, fascist, racist... and it’s not true. Young people were without a message. And that’s been proven. When you speak to young people honestly, without being patronising, and you talk to them about their problems, about the privatisation of vocational training, of universities, about how impossible it is to become independent, about precarious jobs, about the freedom to be and feel. When you talk about that, you put them at the centre and show them that the solution to their problems isn’t by looking to the side, or down below, but by pointing upwards, young people feel a connection. Because it’s good, because it’s not bad, because there’s a stronger message than simply hate.
M.G.: Have you been able to compete head-to-head with Vox to give political expression to the anger and frustration of young people and broad sectors of the working class, as José Ignacio García, "El Gafa," [3] has repeatedly pointed out?
D.C.: We haven’t just competed, we’ve beaten them in two provinces: Seville and Cádiz. All this with a minuscule fraction of Vox’s resources of all kinds. Which shows that a space is opening up. And that this is only the beginning.
M.G.: It’s well known that when an electoral programme is drawn up, many issues are included and addressed, but what have been the key themes and fundamental issues of the campaign?
D.C.: Housing, employment, healthcare, and education. From a left-wing, environmentalist, sustainable, feminist, inclusive, and public perspective. Also, the problems of the territories, regions, and municipalities. The problems of mobility and the lack of public transportation; and I say lack, not just decent transportation, because in many places it simply doesn’t exist.
M.G.: Some people have suggested that the result would have been better if there had been only one candidate to the left of the PSOE. If there had been only one candidate, would the effect have been an increase in votes or the cross-vetoes that several commentators pointed out on election night?
D.C.: Obviously not. Because the reality is that the political space has expanded. The traditional left-wing candidacy won the same number of seats as before, while Adelante Andalucía quadrupled its representation. Therefore, we reached people who felt adrift, who were inclined to abstain, who didn’t identify with any proposal. Adelante Andalucía’s premise was correct. Andalusia needed a sovereignist party of and for the working class.
M. G.: And, in turn, I ask you, what are the basic political differences between both candidacies that justify the existence of both?
D.C.: There are differences. Some are programmatic. But there are two that, for me, are the main ones. The first is that we are an Andalusian force, which makes decisions about and within the territory, which doesn’t depend on Madrid, but rather speaks for and puts Andalusia at the center, without anyone pulling the strings.
Secondly, we do not aspire to be subordinates of the PSOE; we do not co-govern with the PSOE, we are not complicit in their policies, nor do we negotiate to gain a few seats. Our independence from the two-party system is absolute.
Then there are other issues, such as term limits or rotation of our representatives, which I don’t believe are merely symbolic, but political, because we’ve shown that we’re not here to advance our political careers, but to change everything. We commit ourselves, giving our all for a few years, and then we leave the institutions and continue fighting.
M.G.: Let’s talk about the immediate future. What are you going to do about PP leader Juan Manuel Moreno’s investiture and the possibility that Vox will demand to be part of the government?
D.C.: We will vote against it. We are vehemently opposed to the far right, but also to the extreme right. Because deep down it’s the same thing, only the thuggish tactics are replaced by smiles. And that’s why they’ll have us against them from the very first minute. Until we can get rid of them.
M. G.:What new relationship will you maintain with Por Andalucía [For Andalusia coalition]? Obviously, there will be unity of action in mobilising for popular demands, but can you think of any lines of collaboration at the Hospital de las Cinco Llagas [Hospital of the Five Wounds, site of the Andalusian parliament] (by the way, what a name for a parliamentary headquarters).
D.C.: We are different political organisations, but not adversaries. And we have demonstrated this during the campaign. Adelante Andalucía has always been clear about where the enemy lies, always, even in previous years. Not all organisations can say the same. And starting from this fundamental premise, we will build a conscious relationship that will ensure unity of action and parliamentary unity on many vital issues. Because in the end, we will be the bulwark against the policies of the PP and Vox. Our focus will be on safeguarding and securing fundamental rights such as healthcare, education, and housing policies, among many other issues.
M. G.: What are the central tasks of Adelante Andalucía in the field of its construction after the success obtained in the popular neighbourhoods of the cities and in so many towns?
D.C.: In addition to the need for a deeper presence, especially in Jaén and Almería, the only two provinces where we lack representation, it is essential to deepen and carry out grassroots work in the territories after the electoral support. We need an organisation that is present in the conflicts that arise, that builds a structure, and that aims for transformation. Now, with the parliamentary group, we will have the tools to increase and deepen this work of building because change only comes from the grassroots. Political projects must be tied to activism, to our roots, and to everyday conflicts. We don’t see it any other way.
M.G.: In upcoming elections, there are two events that will be pivotal for Adelante Andalucía: the general elections and the municipal elections. Both will present a significant challenge. Will you be fielding candidates for the Cortes (parliament)? Could the municipal elections be a valuable platform for consolidating an Andalusian project of and for the working class?
D.C.: The first point, yes, of course. We need a strong Andalusian left-wing force in the Cortes that can be decisive in ensuring our region is no longer treated as a political periphery. Andalusia’s problems must, for once, be at the forefront. And we aspire to be in Congress and to play a decisive role.
And regarding the second point, absolutely. We deeply believe in local government and its capacity to transform everyday problems. Local government is the institution closest to the people. And it will serve for consolidation. In Cádiz and other cities and municipalities, we are the second largest party, so people are demanding our presence.
M.G.: Finally, I also congratulate you, of course, on the cup that your football team won on the 17th.
D.C.: Hahaha, I had to play, Manolo. You don’t let your teammates down in crucial moments. You’ve taught us that.
19 May 2026
Translated and annotated by David Fagan for International Viewpoint from Vienstosur.
