The investiture of the next president of Catalonia largely depends on the willingness of the Republican Left. The party that is running out of time in its mandate at the head of the Generalitat holds the key to decide whether to support a majority of the PSC in Parliament, through a tripartite alliance with the commons, or to join the pro-independence front with Junts and the CUP to block Illa’s investiture and bring closer the possibility of new elections in Catalonia. The discussions with the PSC are «ongoing» and progressing «at a good pace,» ERC spokesperson Raquel Sans stated on Monday. In a lengthy press conference, where she faced a barrage of questions about the scandal of defamatory posters commissioned from within ERC ranks to link the Maragall brothers to Alzheimer’s disease, Sans revealed that the contacts with the socialists are «smooth.» She also mentioned that the Republicans are keeping other channels open, «we are not closing the door to talking to Junts,» she said, but demanded that the post-convergence party ensure that the PSC clears the way for them before seeking support for Carles Puigdemont: «We have said from the very beginning that the arithmetic necessitates the PSC’s abstention.» Any agreement that the ERC leadership may reach with other parties will need to be ratified by the party membership.
ERC maintains that their responsibility is limited when it comes to deciding whether Catalonia will have a president or whether new elections need to be called on October 13th: «All the pressure is being placed on ERC but the ballots have given the PSC and Junts the responsibility to find agreements,» Sans clarified. Regarding the talks with the PSC, ERC insists that there are «four fundamental issues» at stake: resolving the Catalan political conflict through a referendum; protecting the Catalan language; implementing social policies; and redesigning the financing model to allow the Generalitat to collect 100% of the taxes generated in Catalonia. According to Sans, the latter is the most advanced point in the negotiations. The spokesperson’s statements reveal that ERC’s approach to the PSC is at a more advanced stage of maturity than a potential understanding with Junts in Parliament. ERC is taking a similar stance to the CUP’s position weeks ago when they urged Puigdemont to abandon «unfeasible fantasies.»
PSC candidate Salvador Illa won the May 12th elections with 42 seats, seven more than Carles Puigdemont. The PSC argues that the only coalition that guarantees a majority in Parliament is a tripartite agreement between PSC, ERC, and the commons, while Junts argues that the «coherent» majority is that of the pro-independence bloc. The sum of Junts, ERC, and CUP accounts for 59 seats, nine short of an absolute majority, so Puigdemont would need the PSC’s abstention to be elected president. An unfeasible possibility, Salvador Illa has stated. Puigdemont left Spain in 2017 to avoid prosecution and has pledged to return to Catalonia if there is an investiture session, whether he is the candidate or not. In an interview on the Aquí Catalunya radio program, Parliament President Josep Rull assured that Carles Puigdemont will not be arrested within the Catalan chamber. He indicated that there is a protocol in place for such cases in Parliament, and he will personally ensure that it is «fully complied with.» «The police, as long as I am the President of Parliament, will not enter to arrest or detain anyone. And if they have to, the first person they will have to arrest is myself,» Rull defended.
A delegation from ERC met with Puigdemont in Waterloo, Belgium, on Sunday as part of a meeting of various sectors of the pro-independence movement to address the uncertainty created by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which conditions the implementation of the amnesty law. Sans denied that Puigdemont demanded ERC not to support Illa’s investiture during the meeting. Likewise, the Republican spokesperson dismissed the idea of a single list proposed by Junts in case of new elections, stating that «ERC is not in favor of a single list, we are different political options.»
An internal investigation has been launched by ERC to determine accountability in relation to the defamatory posters targeting Ernest Maragall and his brother Pasqual during last year’s municipal election campaign. The alleged campaign manager, Tolo Moya, the party’s communication director, will be questioned this week, along with other individuals who may have had responsibilities in the communication department of the party. Raquel Sans mentioned that an internal investigator, a member of ERC’s legal team, is conducting the inquiry. He is referred to as the «compliance officer» and will present his report to the party’s ethics committee. «The membership is upset,» Sans acknowledged.
