No surprises. The socialist mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat, Lluïsa Moret, was invested yesterday as president of the Diputación de Barcelona with the votes of En Comú Podem, Tot per Terrassa (TxT) and two independent mayors attached to Junts, the one from Igualada, Marc Castells , and that of Torrelles de Foix, Sergi Vallès. In this way, the PSC takes control of the supra-municipal entity with the largest budget in Catalonia – more than 1,200 million euros – and JxCat is left out of the government of the last major redoubt of power that was left to it after leaving the Government in October.
Moret obtained the support in the second vote, in which he only needed a simple majority, with 25 votes (PSC, communes, TxT, Castells y Vallès) of the 51 that make up the plenary. Instead, the rest of the groups voted for their own candidates: Xavier García Albiol (PP), Dionís Guiteras (ERC), Neus Munté (Junts) and Jordi de la Fuente (Vox).
“It has cost a lot”, but “it has been a master move”, boasted yesterday socialist sources involved in the conversations that have made Moret’s investiture possible. Frantic negotiations, which have lasted weeks, and in which the PSC has maneuvered to preserve an important institution for the 311 municipalities of the province of Barcelona – an area in which the Socialists have expanded their dominance after the May elections – because it constitutes an important source of investment for localities.
After the refusal of Junts to reissue the pact that it had up to now with the socialists in the supra-municipal entity due to the so-called Barcelona operation, in little more than a week the alternative of the socialists was unleashed. First, with the agreement with the commons through which the former mayor of Castelldefels, Candela López, will take over a vice-presidency in the Provincial Council; later, with the governance pact with the formation of the mayor of Terrassa, Jordi Ballart, who will not enter the government. And finally, with the confirmation that Castells and Vallès stood out from the post-convergent group.
Both mayors, who will also enter the supra-municipal government, obtained the endorsement of 18 mayors to invest Moret and in return they guarantee “strategic investments” for the Alt Penedès, Anoia and Garraf regions. In addition, socialist sources confirm that Castells will take another vice presidency.
Now it will be necessary to see what will be the complete composition of the new supramunicipal government. The words of the ERC deputy Dionís Guiteras in plenary session – he opened the door to collaborate and start a new stage – support the possibility that the Republicans enter the executive after the general elections – the plenary session of the portfolio will be later. Sources from various formations raise this option, subject, however, to the results of 23-J.
Already as president, Moret showed her willingness to form “a broad and stable government”, and for this she extended her hand “to all the groups with which we share a vision of progress, respect for coexistence and democratic rights”, which which “means exploring any proposal” in favor of “a government that generates stability and good management,” he insisted.
The tension within the post-convergent group was evident yesterday. Its spokesman, Neus Munté, promised in plenary session to make a “constructive, responsible” and “non-sectarian” opposition, but warned that they would be “demanding” with good governance so that all municipalities have “the same opportunities.”
We will have to wait to clarify the composition of the supramunicipal government, the future of the two “wayward” mayors and if ERC joins the winning horse.
