The former Minister of Consumer Affairs and federal coordinator of IU until last November, Alberto Garzon, will join the consulting firm directed by the former PSOE minister, José Blanco. The former politician plans to join the public affairs consultancy Acento before Easter, according to information provided by ‘El Confidencial’ and confirmed by this newspaper. Sources from the firm indicate that will assume the Prospective Directorate Geopolitics.
The economist retired from politics recently, after not repeating himself on the electoral lists and subsequently leaving his position as head of UI which he had been occupying since 2016. Deputy since 2011, as one of the first visible faces of the 15-M to acquire institutional responsibilities, he later led the commitment to the unity of the space on the left of the PSOE under the umbrella of Unidas Podemos.
From the firm that leads Jose Blanco They celebrate the incorporation of Garzón, who will join other former politicians from both the PSOE and the PP. According to sources from the entity, the former Minister of Consumer Affairs “will enhance diversity and perspective to enrich the service to customers,” with the perspective that “we live in unique times that require the widest possible angle.”
Step to the side
The former politician conveyed his decision to abandon politics in a letter to his party’s militancy, arguing that it was “a very thoughtful decision and that it was part of the roadmap that I personally assumed a long time ago.” “I have waited for this moment to synchronize my final decision with the change of political phase”, he continued after pointing out that he preferred to wait for Pedro Sanchez president was sworn in before making that announcement. “Despite the difficulties, we have finally achieved it,” he continued in the letter before pointing out the “complicated negotiation” that had to happen. “Now Spanish politics moves to a new phase, with a new government and with many challenges to address,” he summarized.
His time in the Executive was discreet, with some key measures regarding the prohibition of gambling advertising and controversies around meat consumption. In the last two years, when the distance between Iglesias and Yolanda Diaz was getting bigger and bigger, Garzón decided to position himself on the side of the Galician, although always maintaining respect for Podemos. The leader of Sumar rewarded that loyalty with a new ministry in the distribution of portfolios among the coalition actors, that of Youth and Childhooddirected by Garzón’s successor as head of the IU coordination, Sira Rego.