Comuns, two-faced with PSC: tough in Barcelona and complacent in Parliament

Last April 8, Salvador Illa's government announced an agreement with ERC, Comuns, and CUP on housing. Only three months later, Comuns have announced the break in relations with PSC in Barcelona precisely over housing. BComú is demanding that Jaume Collboni's government stop the evictions of three squatted buildings in the Vallcarca neighborhood.

Housing is the main topic on Comuns's agenda this legislative term. That's why it's striking that this very issue exposes the strategic disorientation of the party. While in Parliament they appear condescending with PSC, in Barcelona they show their claws.

This very week, we've witnessed a balancing act by Comuns to justify their continued support for PSC despite PSOE's corruption. Their spokesperson David Cid has said they're "relentless" with corruption, but they won't break with the socialists to hand over the government to "the fascists." Illa himself stated in the parliamentary chamber that his government is kept afloat thanks to the unwavering loyalty of his partners, ERC and Comuns.

The two faces of Comuns with PSC

Both in Madrid and in Parliament, it seems there's absolutely nothing that could break the Comuns-Sumar alliance with PSOE. However, BComú imposes its own strategy at the municipal level, which involves rivalry with the socialists.

There's an explanation for this. Comuns's strategy at the Catalan level responds to Sumar's needs in Madrid. This involves the progressive alliance against the far right and keeping President Pedro Sánchez's government at all costs.

This should result in Comuns joining Jaume Collboni's government. But Colauism operates as an autonomous force in its nerve center, Barcelona. There, it owes not only to its own interests, but also to a whole social and organizational fabric that it created and nurtured during its years in government.

The main support for this network is the housing movement, which Comuns control hegemonically in the Catalan capital. The Sindicat de Llogateres, close to Colauism, along with other organizations, led this Wednesday's protest against an eviction in Vallcarca. It's precisely in Vallcarca where the distance between Collboni and the party led by Janet Sanz is most evident.

This protest led Comuns to accelerate their war against the municipal government: "Either Jaume Collboni's government immediately stops the Vallcarca evictions, or we won't negotiate anything with the government. We won't even discuss the credit modification, or fiscal ordinances, or budgets," Sanz said.

Comuns keep their strategy of confrontation in Barcelona despite appearing in Parliament as PSC's most reliable partner. This increases the party's contradictions, in the midst of a credibility crisis. 

Power at all costs

Comuns are having to compromise with the contradictions inherent in governing with PSC. A PSC that, led by Illa in the Generalitat and Collboni in Barcelona's city hall, has a clear conservative bias.

Comuns boast of having dragged PSC to the left on issues like housing. But in exchange, they've had to swallow the airport expansion, which was one of their red lines just as Hard Rock was at the time. Back then, they brought down Pere Aragonès, but now they aren't considering doing the same with Salvador Illa.

These are the contradictions of Comuns, who, with the polls in hand, have adopted the strategy of keeping power at all costs. Just as Yolanda Díaz won't break with President Pedro Sánchez no matter how much corruption emerges, neither will Comuns break with Illa. They'll remain loyal despite all the contradictions, and in two years, we'll see.

Barcelona is another matter, since Comuns see the 2027 municipal elections as key to relaunching their project. They need to assert a leftist profile against Collboni and keep their ties with the housing movement. That, and wait for Colau's triumphant return...