The former president of Congress during the last legislature, Meritxell Batet, and PSC candidate in the last general elections, has announced through the social network X (formerly Twitter) that she is leaving the first political line after 19 years in Madrid, in which she has been a deputy, minister of the Government and president of the Chamber.

Sources close to Batet consulted by EL MUNDO point out that this is a decision “for a long time considered” by its protagonist and that, in no case, has it to do with the decision of the acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to bet on Balearic socialist Francina Armengol, with greater affinity with ERC’s sovereign theses, as president of the Chamber.

Throughout his presidency, Batet had several disagreements with nationalist groups and in March 2021 he refused to process the bill presented by Junts and ERC to grant amnesty to the leaders of the process.

According to the sources consulted, Batet informed Sánchez before 23-J of his decision not to continue. Even so, at the beginning of the negotiations for the configuration of the Congress Table between the PSOE, Sumar and the nationalist parties, the latter vetoed the name of Batet.

Batet’s resignation, which will give way to the Lower House for Ignasi Conesa Coma, who was in 14th place on the PSC list for Barcelona, ​​comes after the PSC leader won a victory in Catalonia on 23-J which resulted in decisive for the broad coalition of parties that support Sánchez to overcome the sum of deputies from PP and Vox.

“With these lines I want to communicate that I am leaving the front line of politics and that I have renounced my role as a deputy,” wrote Batet, who added: “There have been 19 intense years as a member of Congress, a minister of the Government of Spain and president of Congress.

“I leave with the pride of having served a collective project that seeks, above all, to improve people’s lives and transform society. A project to which I have dedicated myself body and soul and to which I will continue to serve wherever wow,” Batet added in his farewell message, in which he did not specify the reasons for his resignation.

And she ends: “I am convinced that there will soon be a new Government of progress led by Pedro Sánchez that will continue with the advances and reforms that Spanish society needs.”