The PSOE delegation led by Santos Cerdán, the party’s Secretary of Organization, travelled to Switzerland on Friday to meet with Carles Puigdemont and try to improve the relationship with Junts, which is currently going through a difficult time since Salvador Illa was elected as president of Catalonia. Cerdán, whose main task is to communicate with Junts, is tasked with rebuilding the broken bridges with the party, which was crucial in helping Pedro Sanchez be reelected last year. Junts’ seven members of parliament continue to play a key role in the Congress, as demonstrated by their unexpected decision to vote against a proposed law limiting temporary rentals earlier this week. Puigdemont’s threat to once again destabilize the government next week has raised alarm within the government, leading to the meeting in Switzerland.
The stability path sets the deficit and public debt targets for public administrations, and is crucial for designing the State Budget. The PSOE has been pressuring the PP to support the stability path, warning that without it, regional governors and popular mayors would lose millions in revenue. Sánchez increased the pressure on the PP by stating that without updated stability path and new Budgets, regional governments and municipalities would lose 5 billion euros by 2025. However, he did not mention Junts, even though sources in the government state that 300 mayors affiliated with Junts would be affected. The government believes that Junts will once again support the government, and hopes for a majority in the investiture. A vote of no confidence with the PP and Vox seems unlikely, although there are signs of increasing alignment between the parties according to ERC spokesperson Gabriel Rufián.
Junts will hold a congress at the end of October, where its leadership and strategy will be clarified. The party must decide between a pragmatic approach, open to dialogue and partnerships, or continue to push for independence like they did on October 1st. The government is confident that Junts will once again support the investiture, and hopes for a stable partnership with the party. Sánchez does not want any more surprises, and that is why he sent Cerdán to Switzerland to mend ties with a crucial partner who is waiting for justice to apply the amnesty law to Puigdemont. The meeting between the PSOE delegation and Junts is seen as one of great importance given the current strained context.
The situation in Catalonia is closely watched by the Spanish government, as any instability could have wider implications for the country. The relationship between Junts and the PSOE is especially crucial given Junts’ role in the Congress and the potential impact on the State Budget. The upcoming congress of Junts will determine the party’s direction and strategy going forward, which could have significant consequences for the government. Despite the tensions between ERC and Junts and the challenges facing the government, the hope is that a stable partnership can be maintained to ensure the smooth functioning of the government. The meeting between the PSOE delegation and Junts in Switzerland is seen as a crucial step in resolving the current issues and maintaining a positive relationship between the parties.
