We are all very aware that politics is increasingly driven by emotional springs. When we go to the polling station today and take a ballot, we will do so convinced that this choice responds to our free will, without being aware of how political marketing has influenced our decision-making. Each of the political options presented to us has sought symbiosis between its candidate and a strong idea to sell to its electorate. In some cases it will make a fortune, and in others it will not work so much.
Vote for a party or a candidate. Parties are much maligned in today’s society. They are seen as sectarian machinery for manufacturing deception. Being a member of a political formation has so little glamor that even the parties themselves sign “independents” for their lists as a demonstration of openness to society, which is still paradoxical, since they praise those who show less degree of commitment. Instead, we tend to trust a person more (even if they may later let us down). In these elections we see clear examples of leaderships that overflow the party’s acronyms (Salvador Illa, Carles Puigdemont or even Sílvia Orriols) and others in which acronyms rule.
The PSC had not caressed this phenomenon since the time of Pasqual Maragall. It is not about comparing the former Olympic mayor with Illa, as their profiles are very different. But leadership is not only made up of the charisma of a public figure or the authority he conveys, but also explains whether his image accompanies the social moment in which he appears. In the case of Illa, if the polls attribute to him a growth in these elections it is because he has overcome the margins of his party. To put it bluntly, there are more people who say these days “I will vote for Illa” than “I will vote for the PSC”. The image he tries to convey is that of a predictable, moderate, “orderly” and dialogic politician. Tonight we will know to what extent this is a majority state of mind in Catalan society.
Something similar happens with Junts. If one day CiU was such a powerful brand that it successfully resisted the succession of Jordi Pujol, today it is Puigdemont who is pushing some acronyms that have led to several downfalls. Even the background color of their logos has been changing… In this campaign Pujol himself, who in private has not hidden his discrepancies with the unilateral declaration of independence, and also Artur Mas, who supported PDECat and not Junts on other occasions, they have asked for the vote for Puigdemont in public. Pujol and Mas are trying to recover the spirit of the party now that the dialogical way is being imposed. It remains to be seen whether their hopes are well founded.
However, Puigdemont has not shared a rally or any image with his converging predecessors. Yes, a photograph was taken, on the other hand, with the president of the Foment employer, Josep Sánchez Llibre. The message of order to the economic world is clear. But the former president does not want to leave the epic behind. Try to turn the amnesty into a kind of triumphant return from “exile”. The message it aims to convey is that of the non-conformist who shows up with his cunning. And, if David can’t completely defeat Goliath, at least he promises to give him a hard time. Puigdemont has always wanted to push the limits of the party. So much so that his candidacy is called Junts Puigdemont per Catalunya. His voters don’t say they will vote Junts, they say they will vote Puigdemont.
In the case of ERC, this spring does not work. Despite exercising the presidency of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès does not overflow with party acronyms. His figure does not arouse rejection, but it is more difficult for him to attract voters from other formations by virtue of his leadership. It is the brand that carries the weight.
The Republicans were in the past a turbulent party, which experienced bloody internal battles, but in recent years they have been compacted. They now face crucial decisions from which they will only come out well if they manage to maintain this internal cohesion.
Leadership is important, but organizations allow temporary cheating. Whether a viable pro-independence majority is added tomorrow or not, ERC as a party will have to assume a decisive responsibility.
When the results go along, the leaders are praised, but when they are adverse, it is the parties who take command and set the course. Without them, even the most charismatic politicians are nothing. Neither would democracy itself.
