Three ties in the center of the stage. Those of the candidates of the parties that are competing for the presidency of the Generalitat as guarantors of the institutionality. The fact that the three ties were dark suggests that one of them will end the 12-M campaign by going to a funeral. The first debate of the campaign organized by La Vanguardia and RAC1 served to test the waters and check the balance of PSC, Junts and ERC to monopolize the vote without breaking bridges. For what it could happen. These are some keys to the exchange that has been seen in the ONCE Auditorium moderated by Enric Sierra and Jordi Basté.
Those absent: Pedro Sánchez and Carles Puigdemont. The political impasse caused by Pedro Sánchez until Monday affects the PSC’s story. Salvador Illa ignores the uncertainty imposed by the President of the Government and prefers to propose a collective reflection on the limits of politics. Sánchez had to accompany Illa at the start of the campaign and was expected on Sunday. The PSC does not accuse the coup, its militancy is mobilized, but Illa will have to manage the decision of the PSOE leader. Josep Rull, who represented Junts due to the physical impossibility of Carles Puigdemont being on stage, quickly came forward.
The pro-independence parties have denounced for years that they are victims of lawfare and now accuse the socialists of having been complicit in these attacks. Pere Aragonès needs to make room for himself among the shadows of the absent and that is why he insists that 12-M is not about specific people, but about Catalonia. ERC wants to avoid “personal plebiscites.” For his part, Alejandro Fernández did not join the PP’s argument that accuses Sánchez of playing the victim. He found the opportunity to link Sánchez and Puigdemont as elements of instability.
Financing, the key to the legislature. There is unanimity that a new system is needed but nothing more. Of course, even in Junts they consider financing as a core issue of the legislature. Aragonès insists on a unique system for Catalonia, like Rull and Albiach – each with their own criteria -, while Illa limits herself to deploying the Statute with the State-Generalitat tax consortium. That is exactly where the independence movement exploits the attacks on Illa: the dependence on the PSOE. Aragonès repeats in all forums that the PSC does not want to “bother” Moncloa; Illa replies that “you can get very uncomfortable and achieve little. Better to collaborate”; and Rull questions his ability to “say no” to Madrid’s mandates.
“There will be no budgets in the State if the financing is not fixed,” Rull even said, marking the immediate priority of negotiation of Junts in Madrid, with permission from Pedro Sánchez. Alejandro Fernández joined the attempt to sow doubts about the socialist candidate: “it depends on Sánchez” and used the wild card of the popular barons to ask for a common front with the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community.
And independence? “There is no talk of self-determination, we are in debates that take us back ten years,” complained Laia Estrada of the CUP. Although both ERC, Junts and the CUP – and also the commons demand a referendum -, everyone is now managing the meantime. Aragonès welcomes Junts to the negotiation and reproaches it for only talking about unity. An “empty” proposal, he said. Oblivious to the criticism, Rull maintained the tone indicated by Puigdemont: empathy in the independence space and avoiding a clash with Aragonès. And independence? Junts wants an “operational” pro-independence majority, but no one is committed to calling a referendum. Aragonès sets it as the objective of his party but when “is not a question of will, but of strength.” Illa limits his proposal to taking advantage of the Statute. For Carlos Carrizosa, the PSC and the PP are “self-conscious constitutionalism.” The process only exists in the speeches of Ciudadanos, PP and Vox. Although Ignacio Garriga only uses it to link independence with immigration and crime.
The pacts: preserving the room for maneuver. With an absolute majority ruled out, Illa, Aragonès and Rull tried not to be prisoners of their words after 12-M when defining alliances for the future. ERC does not want to assume the role of third party in contention but the fact that both the president and Rull ask Illa if he rules out making an agreement with the PP ends up putting the presidential focus on the socialist. Illa is faithful to his style of harmony. Theirs is “a stable government” within the framework of social democracy. For the socialist candidate, the most important thing about the pacts is to “fulfill” them – and he looks at Junts for breaking with ERC – and, although he does not foresee an agreement with the PP, he does want to add them to specific pacts such as around the language . At Junts they work to make the story that there are only two alternatives, a government chaired by Illa or by Puigdemont. A left-wing tripartite or an independence government. And Aragonès maintains that “Illa’s project is Spain and Junts’ is Puigdemont.” The ballot boxes will distribute the cards.
