The PSC tries to control the Barcelona Provincial Council for another four years and for this it negotiates the support of En Comú Podem, with whom the talks are “advancing”, and with representatives of one of the parties that make up the Junts coalition, present in the institution supramunicipal. The objective is to gain the vote of at least two independent deputies attached to the post-convergent group after verifying that these leaders are in favor of reissuing the government agreement with the Socialists.
Among those in favor of repeating the entente with the PSC in the corporation are leaders with their own party who were associated with JxCat in the municipal elections, such as Marc Castells, mayor of Igualada, and Sergi Vallès, mayor of Torrelles de Foix and general secretary of Impulsem Penedès, a local post-convergent brand.
Until now, the Socialists have tried to close an agreement with the entire coalition, but Junts’ refusal – confirmed yesterday after the management meeting – has been gaining weight in the formation of Carles Puigdemont, especially since what happened with the Barcelona mayor’s office . This circumstance made Salvador Illa’s men explore alternatives and find the receptivity of these two independents.
The bet of the socialists is to gain their support, which added to the five deputies of the commons, could prevail over the alternative that the Junts leadership now wants to articulate, after the slam of the PSC, with ERC.
The absolute majority of the plenary session of 51 deputies of the Barcelona Provincial Council is at 26 parliamentarians. The PSC is the group with the greatest representation (17 deputies). With the five of the commons – in the event of fruitful negotiations – they add up to 22. On the other hand, Junts is the second force with 12 deputies, which with the 11 of ERC reach 23, and which could rise to 24 with the vote of the party of the mayor of Terrassa, Jordi Ballart, Tot per Terrassa. However, if the PSC attracts at least two deputies attached to JxCat, it could add 24 compared to 22 for the pro-independence alternative.
These 24 deputies would be enough to invest a presidency in a second vote because in arithmetic nobody has the votes of Vox -one representative- nor of the PP -with four deputies-, since the commons are not willing to repeat the formula that gave Jaume Collboni the mayorship of Barcelona.
In Junts there were already opponents of repeating the pact with the PSC before Xavier Trias was left without the mayor’s office at the last minute, and discontent with the Socialists has grown within the party, despite the fact that Trias himself was a supporter to be “intelligent” and agree with the PSC to share power in the third institution in Catalonia in economic resources. He manages more than 1,200 million euros.
The voices of Junts against the agreement have spread even in the most pragmatic sector, although the Socialists assure that of the 12 post-convergent deputies of the Diputación only one is against agreeing with the PSC. Thus, with the no to the pact with those of Illa, announced yesterday by the post-convergent spokesman, Josep Rius, the party risks being left without one of the few great redoubts of power that it had left after leaving the Government of Pere Aragonès. “Together is committed to structuring, with other political forces, an alternative majority to the PSC to govern the Barcelona Provincial Council,” Rius said.
Although JxCat had been carrying the matter of the Provincial Council for days, at yesterday’s management meeting there was some discussion on the issue and some leaders were missing, according to sources consulted. Although everyone agreed that agreeing with ERC to try to lead the supra-municipal body was the best option, there were warnings that there is a risk of being left out of the institution and in a worse position. The debate, however, this time is not a customary struggle between the different sectors of Junts.
While waiting for the socialist strategy to be consumed, it remains to be revealed who will occupy the presidency of the supra-municipal body. The name of Lluïsa Moret, socialist mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat, gains weight compared to that of Núria Marín, mayor of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and current president of the supra-municipal body. Moret is deputy secretary of organization of the PSC and has the full confidence of Illa. In addition, she agrees with the party leader’s willingness to promote new party cadres.
