Wallowing in the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona. If four years ago the Eines de País independence candidacy surprised with an overwhelming majority, yesterday it was the list headed by Josep Santacreu that swept the results. It obtained 31 seats, almost 60% of the 52 that have been put to the vote, compared to the 21 on the list headed by Mònica Roca and Toni Fitó.
These 31 seats include several that have been won by companies that have competed independently but that have had the endorsement of Va d’Empresa, Santacreu’s list. This would be the case, for example, of Banc Sabadell.
But, in addition, Santacreu will count, barring surprises, with the six votes of the employers’ representatives who have agreed Foment del Treball and Pimec, who will go directly to the plenary session. Among them, Eloi Planes, president of Fluidra, and one of the pillars of the Va d’Empresa operation.
Among the companies joining Santacreu are Casa Ametller, Fico Cables and Factor Energía. And among those that have surprised by being left out are Colonial, which was with Santacreu, the company of restaurateur Ada Parellada and Bon Preu, which has run as an independent even though its proximity to the pro-independence team is known.
Joan Canadell, former president of the Chamber and deputy of Junts, has also failed to enter, who on this occasion has presented himself with the company Ictineu Submarins. Yes, Mònica Roca, with Isardsat, and Toni Fitó, with Pere Quart, have won a seat.
The objective of the Santacreu team is to recover for the Chamber the entrepreneurial spirit that corresponds to this institution, away from the political bias that has marked some of its most controversial decisions, such as joining the Consell de la República or the change of shield to suppress the crown. There is also discomfort in various business sectors because they consider that the institution has lost influence inside and outside Catalonia, where it has renounced exercising its own voice in entities such as the Chamber of Spain where European funds are processed for projects from chambers throughout the country. Barcelona no longer holds the vice presidency of the Chamber of Spain and has also resigned from presiding over the Consell de Cambres de Catalunya. Only the prestige of its study service has remained intact.
Santacreu, former CEO of the insurance company DKV, has developed a discreet campaign, working mainly in the fields of unions and other business organizations. He is also a well-regarded person in sovereigntist sectors for his cordial disposition, his professional career and his social activity. He has won the seat with the Fundació Privada pro Diminuits Psíquics Finestrelles, in another example of this social focus.
The Va d’Empresa team highlights that its objective is a transversal orientation, defending the interests of large, small and self-employed companies. And also transversal from a political point of view.
Although Eines de País has pointed out ERC as art and part in the preparation of the winning list, the truth is that Junts leaders have also supported Santacreu, such as former councilors Jaume Giró and Victoria Alsina, in addition to former mayor Xavier Trias. However, former president Carles Puigdemont has explicitly supported Roca and Fitó.
In the campaign we have not entered into hand-to-hand combat, because Santacreu’s team refused to participate in debates as Eines de País proposed. But the economic management of the institution has been very present in it, since it has gone from a profit of more than 120,000 euros in 2018 to a loss of more than 800,000 in 2022. The current management team It is attributed above all to the investments made in the transformation of the Diagonal building, where more than 5,000 square meters have been set up for shared spaces at the service of companies. Santacreu has now promised austere and prudent management.
As is usual in these elections, participation has been very low, 4.36%, according to data from the Business Department.
