The PSC of Salvador Illa (La Roca del Vallès, 1966) obtained 34.5% of the votes in Catalonia last Sunday. The best results for the Socialists since 2008. For the first secretary of the PSC, it is a recognition of Pedro Sánchez’s policies and he considers that the Catalans have voted for coexistence and harmony.
You have a good dialogue with Junts management, what decision do you think they will make?
I am in contact with the leaders of all the Catalan parties, except for Vox. I respect their area of ??decision and it is up to them to make a decision, depending on the outcome of the elections. In these elections it was decided who should preside over the Government of Spain. In Catalonia, in a very clear and majority way, it has opted for Pedro Sánchez, Catalonia has ratified Sánchez. And for this reason, the political parties must respect this result, especially the parties in Catalonia.
Do you think that Junts’ possible support for Sánchez’s investiture, in addition to solving the governability of Spain, would contribute to solving the Catalan problem?
With this very majority vote, Sánchez and his policies have been voted for coexistence, dialogue and harmony. This has been expressed in a forceful and clear way in Catalonia. This is the path that Catalan society asks of us, that we continue to move forward, at least, that’s how I interpret it. Together, ERC and the commons are very important parties on the Catalan scene and together we must exercise dialogue and understanding to move the country forward.
Will the PSC participate in the negotiations with Junts?
A strategy will be decided and set and Sánchez will be the one to decide. The PSC, as it has always done, will help in everything possible, but it is not for me to talk about it.
Do you see that there are options in accordance with the amnesty request and a referendum?
Catalonia has said no to a right-wing government. He has said yes to a plural and diverse Spain, which will be represented in the Congress of Deputies, and which must be based on a government led by Sánchez. From here we go step by step and you have to go calmly and discreetly. I don’t want to go any further at this point.
But is there an ability to understand these requests?
These issues must be discussed and discussed with discretion. There is a coexistence framework that sets rules of the game that must be respected within the rule of law. There is work to unite Catalans, but I insist, what needs to be done now is this dialogue exercise.
If elections are repeated, which party would be more harmed?
Voting again is not a positive scenario for anyone. The citizens have already spoken. I believe that there will be enough maturity in the various political actors to find the possible articulation of this plural and diverse majority in favor, in the case of Catalonia, of coexistence, dialogue and moving forward.
Does he think that Feijóo did not distance himself from Vox enough and that this has taken its toll?
In the campaign, people, procedures and the truth were disrespected, with a very diminished credibility because they said no to Vox, but agreed without any scruples. Feijóo did not know how to mark distances or red lines with some approaches of the ultra-right that I think a party that has governed Spain should have said enough.
What did he think that Feijóo did not condemn the controversial phrase “que et voti Txapote”?
It felt really bad, a monumental mistake. People also took this into consideration.
There is a manifesto of former socialists asking for a pact between the PP and the PSOE How do you see it?
It is ruled out. From my point of view it is not appropriate.
And about the possibility of defections, as some members of Vox and the PP have pointed out?
That won’t happen. It indicates a way of understanding politics as the occupation of power at all costs and to pass over whoever it is.
Have you had any meetings with Junts these days?
No. Courtesy contacts in Parliament this week, but there have been no other meetings.
Would you like Junts to join the Barcelona municipal government?
It is a decision that corresponds to the people who exercise politics in Barcelona, ??and in particular to Jaume Collboni. At the PSC we respect the autonomy of mayors, mayoresses or list leaders. It is up to them to decide which is the most appropriate government scheme.
Did you want Junts to reissue the agreement of the Provincial Council of Barcelona?
We had a positive experience last term. Our first choice was to repeat something that had worked well with Junts. It wasn’t possible. It is always about adding up, being generous and looking for the maximum points of understanding possible.
If the City Council’s constituent assembly was held now, after these elections, would the PSC have activated the operation to make Collboni mayor or would it have agreed with Trias?
I do not know. This is an exercise in speculation and I don’t know what would have happened. In any case, we disassociate an electoral call from decision-making, in this case in the area of ??Barcelona City Council, but also in other areas of other city councils and other supra-municipal institutions. Citizens understand well that at each election something different is chosen. It is one thing to choose who should govern the city of Barcelona. Another thing is to choose who should govern Spain. Another thing will be choosing, when the time comes, who should govern Catalonia.
And to what does he attribute the decline in the polls of pro-independence parties?
I want to be very respectful of this, because everyone will make their own analysis. The elections have been exceptional, but also a recognition of the policy of the Government of Spain, and in particular of Pedro Sánchez, in Catalonia. Sánchez has played it safe in Catalonia, he has not had a passive or contemplative attitude. He has taken decisions that at some point were bold and difficult to bring coexistence back to Catalonia, and this has weighed on the spirits of many people.
The ERC Government has 33 deputies, has it thought about a motion of censure or asking for an electoral advance?
The motion of censure is dismissed. And regarding the electoral advance, the legislature has some time and I am in favor of respecting it. It seems to us that things are not being done as well as they should be, but President Aragonés says that he sees himself as capable of continuing, despite the fact that in the times we are in it would be better to have a Government with more parliamentary support and more stability. That is why the PSC will continue to build and think about Catalonia.
Will he agree the budgets with ERC again?
We are in the phase of compliance with the budget agreement. I see a will to implement it, but also difficulties, and I think that we must go at a better pace to deploy it. Regarding the airport, we agreed that the commission would meet throughout this year, there is still time. We will see how things go and there will be time to talk about the following financial year at the end of the year. Our attitude is to build an alternative with the will to help, but never to block.
Did you expect the results they had in Catalonia?
We hoped to have a good result, but it has exceeded our expectations. The Catalans were clear that there were two options, and one of these was a setback in Catalan politics and the effects this could have on coexistence. There were very explicit expressions in this sense during the campaign, but also in other areas, sexist violence, minimal respect for an objective truth… The freedom of creation or censorship was at issue.
So has the fear of a PP and Vox government benefited them?
People have seen that basic things were at stake that we had never discussed until now and that had not been questioned since the restoration of democracy in Spain.
After the results, what can the PSC offer the Catalans?
A defense of the interests of the entire Catalan society and a concern to generate prosperity. So that this prosperity is equitably distributed and administered with criteria of social justice. Improve public administration, public services. Have a reformist spirit.