“Together, but not the same”, was one of the expressions used at the Junts per Catalunya congress last week, held in Argelers, to define the party. For this reason, one of the main challenges of training in this new stage is to unify the different tunes that sound internally and minimize the differences. And for this a fundamental element is balance.
The journey did not get off to a good start after Jordi Turull, general secretary, was the one who obtained the most support in the conclave, an issue that caused some discomfort at first in a certain sector of the candidacy. “There was no competition in the voting, but having a differentiated ballot box caused that logic of competition a bit,” they lament in the environment of the president of Junts, Laura Borràs, who disdains that there were certain slogans among some sectors of the militancy. These sources also detail that it is necessary to be alarmed because some 4,000 people did not participate, although they admit that perhaps it is because there was no confrontation of projects and everything was agreed in advance.
One of the vice presidents, Aurora Madaula, was the one who made this discomfort public through several messages that have not been censored in public, although in private there was some comment about it and she was asked to lower the decibels and assume the responsibilities inherent to the position. organic you have. All in all, those around Borràs appreciate that Francesc Dalmases, one of his main supporters, did not have a “punishment vote” and they understand that the situation of Madaula, who narrowly won the position, by a handful of votes, is due to to his ideological profile more than to the fact of being one of the people closest to Borràs.
“The militancy knows what they want, and discerns when they vote, one thing is a congress and the party and another a candidacy for the elections,” Junts sources point out.
To make matters worse, just after the results were announced, it became known that there was an unexpected problem: the candidate for the organization’s secretary, David Torrents, was left out of the executive by not exceeding the threshold set by the regulations, 50% of the votes. The same thing happened with the deputy of the Parlament Ester Vallès. Another leader who must be replaced is former Minister Miquel Sàmper, although in his case it is not due to lack of support but rather due to incompatibilities.
At first, the possibility of ignoring that requirement was considered –Torrents was left out by nine votes–, but finally it was decided to respect the regulations in the face of warnings from the bases. In the first meeting of the executive the matter was addressed and several people agreed that the regulations had to be scrupulously respected, although Torrents went to the hotel where the party’s address was mentioned, but did not participate in the meeting as he had not an agreement in this regard, even if it were pending ratification.
Thus, the regulations and what was agreed in the joint candidacy will be complied with: someone by consensus that Borràs endorses will be designated for that key position, although it is up to Turull to appoint him. The same will be done with the other two leadership vacancies, and although repeating the appointments has not been definitively ruled out, some argue that it could be counterproductive to try again.
There are voices from JxCat that point out that it is advisable to resolve the matter as soon as possible to prevent it from going further and snowballing. But there is another added complication: the regulations do not clarify how the militancy of the new candidate for the organization’s secretariat must be ratified, only that the secretary general appoints him within a period not exceeding 30 days. In the proposed organizational paper for the congress, which will be validated in July, these situations are remedied. But the application of that precept will not come in time.
“The conspiracy theories fall, Turull will respect what was agreed,” say sources consulted about the misgivings and interpretations that there were after last week’s vote. These sources add that this also includes David Saldoni, now in charge of municipal politics and secretary of organization with Jordi Sànchez in these first two years of the party, becoming deputy general secretary and right-hand man of the former Minister of the Presidency.
The various internal sensitivities of Junts, recognized, add complexity to the management of the training, it has been affirmed several times in recent months by various leaders, including Borràs or Carles Puigdemont himself when he presented his resignation. And the documents of the congress, in this situation, will serve to set the course.
Once the issue that has arisen from the executive is overcome, the second phase of the congress must be faced –according to the calendar–, on July 16 and 17, in which the four papers are approved –politics (coordinated by Aleix Sarri), organizational (Violant Cervera), municipal (Jordi Fàbrega) and sectoral (Damià Calvet)– and issues such as pact policies and the roadmap will be elucidated. Until now, what has made the most noise has been the possibility of leaving the Government if the militancy decides in the future, as long as the executive proposes it in a consultation and the results of the audit on the degree of compliance with the legislature pact endorse that scenario.
However, it should be borne in mind that anything can happen, since the militants have the freedom and power to present amendments and that they arrive alive at the congress, which will be resumed in La Farga de l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, and vote. That could add difficulty to the management of Junts depending on what comes out. But Turull is clear that he wants “this to work, even if it seems difficult”, point out the sources consulted, who point out that for this “he will have to balance and look for formulas and consensus names”, in addition to “making little noise, talking with everything the world, avoid leaks and block the arguments”. “He [Turull] is good at oiling the machinery and making everything work, but it’s not a three-day thing,” the sources conclude.
At the conclusion of the congress process, it will be the second time that JxCat first elects the leadership and then defines, with the documents, its political and organizational course. For the future, if all goes well, in four years, there are already those who think it would be better to define the roadmap and then choose the people in charge of applying it.
