Erc Bleeds While Achieving Its Greatest Historical Power

ERC will join the government of the Diputació de Barcelona alongside PSC, Comuns and the two independents from Junts. This is a very important decision because it increases ERC's territorial power just two days after losing six deputies in the general elections. Paradoxically, in the midst of the party's collapse, it achieves its maximum territorial power.

Moreover, the decision intensifies the confrontation between Esquerra and Junts at a crucial moment. The post-convergents have already warned that this complicates the agreement to invest Pedro Sánchez. They accuse the republicans and PSC of pinching Junts "to destroy us".

ERC Expands Its Territorial Power

Oriol Junqueras already announced his intention to enter the Diputació when this provincial power body was formed. He waited for the elections to pass to take the step. His intention was to enter the Diputació as soon as possible to prevent Junts from entering.

ERC will hold two vice presidencies and four areas in the entity presided over by the socialist mayor of Sant Boi, Lluïsa Moret. Junts is left out, although it will hold an institutional vice presidency. ERC, which already agreed with PSC in the diputaciones of Lleida and Tarragona, now joins the coalition government in Barcelona.

This is important because the supramunicipal entities move a large amount of money. They consolidate the territorial power of the formations while injecting generous income. ERC has highlighted "the political plurality" of this "town hall of town halls" and has appealed to "a more advanced and progressive municipalism".

Struggle with Junts

In Esquerra, they see this move as necessary at a key moment in the Catalan and Spanish political landscape. The elections of July 23 have reactivated the struggle between ERC and Junts for independence hegemony. The republicans have been losing ground to the post-convergents in two elections and want to stop the bleeding.

The uncertain landscape of political deadlock in Spain could force the minority ERC government to call early elections in Catalonia. The two pro-independence parties would once again measure their strength in a complicated context for ERC. In the midst of a confidence crisis, it is vital for the republicans to maintain and extend territorial power.