Carles Puigdemont is currently in the final stretch of his electoral campaign for the Catalan elections, convinced that only he is capable of standing up to the government. As of now, Puigdemont is the only candidate who has not directly faced any of the other contenders to govern Catalonia. Junts per Catalunya has turned down various proposals for their lead candidate to participate, either in person or remotely, in any of the debates that have been scheduled during the two weeks of campaigning. Despite this, Puigdemont and his running mate Anna Navarro have chosen to delegate representation to Josep Rull, the number 3 on the list, in debates organized by La Sexta and TV3, among others.
Puigdemont remains entrenched in southern France, as he awaits the final approval and enactment of the amnesty law by the Spanish Congress to avoid potential arrest if he enters Spain. His absence from all debates, along with that of his number 2, is a rare circumstance in political campaigning. Puigdemont has also declined an interview with EL PAÍS, unlike all other candidates except for Vox. The former Catalan president left Spain in 2017 to avoid prosecution for his involvement in the Catalan independence referendum. In the 2021 Parliament elections, he was the lead candidate for Junts, while Laura Borràs was the de facto candidate who participated in debates.
Despite efforts by Junts to organize a debate in Perpignan, France, Puigdemont’s refusal to participate in remote debates has raised questions about his readiness for daily governance issues. Other parties have expressed skepticism about holding an electoral event in France, and Ernerc Republica has proposed a face-to-face debate with Puigdemont on French territory, which was unsuccessful. The PSC candidate highlights Puigdemont’s avoidance of debates as a lack of expertise in important areas such as education, healthcare, and finance. The absence of Puigdemont in debates has led to speculations about who benefits or is harmed by his refusal to participate.
Within Junts, there is a belief that Puigdemont’s popularity as a candidate outweighs any potential drawbacks of his absence in debates. Some argue that his presence may not affect undecided voters who already have their opinions formed. Despite plans for Puigdemont to appear via monitor in the final campaign event in Barcelona, the decision for him not to participate in remote debates remains firm. While there may be differing views within the Junts executive committee on Puigdemont’s decision to avoid debates, it is ultimately his choice not to engage remotely. As the only candidate appearing remotely, the situation poses challenges but is viewed as a necessary compromise within the party. Josep Rull, who lacks political experience compared to Navarro, has emerged as a consensus figure representing Junts in debates.
