After the emotional carousel of recent days, due to Pedro Sánchez’s decision on his continuity as head of the Government, the PSC breathes a sigh of relief but without knowing for sure what the repercussion of what happened will be for their electoral interests. There is a disparity of opinions on this matter, but they are clear that there have already been enough emotions and that now it is time to return to rationality, to the socialists’ campaign script, which places “things to eat” and the quality of public services in the center of the debate.
The PSC wants to draw a thick veil over what happened around Sánchez, but the president will land tomorrow, Thursday, in Sant Boi de Llobregat to participate in the first campaign rally of the Catalan socialists, which will be followed by another on Saturday in Montmeló also with his presence.
Illa was “delighted” that Sánchez is joining the PSC campaign and vindicated the “positive” policies of the Government for Catalonia, but far from fueling the debate that provoked the president’s period of reflection, yesterday he vindicated the “rational policy based in broad agreements”, from which it excludes formations that promote “hate speech”.
The candidate expressed himself like this in the presentation of the SI platform – a nod to the initials of his name – which brings together personalities from civil society in Catalonia and abroad around a manifesto of support for the candidacy of the PSC leader. Illa thanked the support received and defended her party’s willingness to “go beyond” the acronym itself and “open itself to people with different sensitivities,” as demonstrated by the list of adhesions to the platform. “People with different ways of thinking, but who think that in Catalonia, in the last ten years, things have not gone well,” he summarized.
The SI manifesto advocates for a government “that works, that confronts the problems that have been ignored, that is capable of doing well what has been done badly, that practices close collaboration with all administrations, especially with city councils”; For this reason, the text concludes, “we are convinced that Salvador Illa is now appropriate.”
Among its signatories are personalities from culture, science, law, universities or the arts, and names such as Josep Maria Bricall, former rector of the UB and Minister of Government in the Government of Tarradellas, the filmmaker Isabel Coixet, the actresses Núria Espert and Mónica Randall, professor Victoria Camps; the lawyer Josep López de Lerma, the artist and designer Javier Mariscal, the actor Roger Pera, the journalist Jorge Javier Vázquez, or the singer Joan Manuel Serrat, among others. The manifesto is also signed by personalities from the international political sphere, such as the former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa or the Commissioner for Labor and Social Rights and PSE candidate for the European Commission, Nicolas Schmit.
Illa also went yesterday to the Bellvitge neighborhood of l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, an incontestable socialist fiefdom. Together with Mayor Núria Marín, who attacked the “unfulfilled promises” of the ERC Government in her municipality, the PSC candidate put aside the debate around Sánchez and opted for “recovering self-government that is demanding with public policies.” in Catalonia “and actively participate in the improvement of Spain.” So “everyone, everyone, let’s vote!” He encouraged.
