Sumar Party on the brink: Internal war explodes ahead of July congress

Spain's left-wing Sumar party has set July 11 for an extraordinary congress to resolve its worst internal crisis. The decision came just days after the party's number two resigned, accusing leader Lara Hernández of mistreating workers. The conflict erupted publicly on Tuesday when Laura Moreno, the party's Organization Secretary, quit. In a letter to the party leadership, Moreno accused Hernández of "concerning behavior towards some workers." She also claimed Hernández committed "fraud" in a member vote to favor her allies in the Valencian Community. Hernández denies all accusations. Her supporters say the claims are part of a "smear campaign" by critics trying to remove her. They add that Hernández has not even been formally informed about the internal investigation against her. The party's parliamentary spokesperson, Verónica Martínez, leads the critical faction. Both Hernández and Martínez have not said if they will run for the coordinator role at the congress. Mediation efforts are underway to avoid a direct clash. The fight is not about ideology or strategy. It is a power struggle. Supporters of Hernández say critics want to oust her. Critics say her leadership style is "almost despotic." The crisis comes at a delicate time. Sumar is renegotiating its alliance with other left-wing groups, including United Left, Más Madrid, and the Comuns, ahead of general elections. The four partners aimed to present a new name and leader before summer. The internal war has caused "concern" among coalition allies. Yolanda Díaz, who founded Sumar in 2023 but left its leadership in 2024, has not commented on the crisis. She skipped a parliamentary session and did not attend the meeting where the congress date was set. Her allies say she no longer holds an organic leadership role, so she does not need to explain.