Junts comes to the rescue of Lluís Llach's ANC after yet another fiasco

Lluís Llach, someone close to Carles Puigdemont both personally and politically, arrived at the Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANC) to reverse its decline. After a year in office, the organization is fractured and has accumulated defeat after defeat. The latest is yet another failure of the protest called against King Felipe VI's visit to Montserrat.

Lluís Llach's arrival at the presidency of ANC raised suspicions due to his servility to Waterloo. Although he has always denied his intentions to turn the civic platform into a branch of Puigdemont's chiringuito, the close relationship between the two is evident.

Junts strategy to hide ANC's failure

The latest proof is the unified reaction of Junts leaders against the police action in Montserrat. Including Puigdemont, who had not shown any signs of life for ten days despite the corruption scandal affecting PSOE. He has decided to break his silence to defend ANC and, in the process, attack the King and Salvador Illa.

The president of Junts's parliamentary group, Albert Batet, demanded the appearance of the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, in Parliament. They are asking her for explanations regarding the "disproportionate action" of the Mossos in Montserrat. Batet points to the "collusion" of the Illa government with the monarch and accuses the police of "seizing flags and making arrests."

Deputy Anna Navarro has said that "today they detain and attack pro-independence supporters while our president remains in exile." The spokesperson for the parliamentary group, Ennatu Domingo, speaks of "repression" of the "right to protest."

It is clear that in the statements of Junts representatives there is a clear strategy to use the altercation for political purposes. The polls are not favorable and they need to flex their separatist muscle to regain lost trust. They are taking the opportunity to try to wear down PSC, whom Puigdemont accuses of a "plan to Spanishize" Catalonia.

There is also an intention to cover up Lluís Llach's ANC failure by diverting attention to the alleged police brutality. The reality is that, once again, a rally that was intended to be massive ended up as a gathering of a few dozen people (algunas decenas de personas), mostly elderly.

The harsh reality of procesismo

Oriol Junqueras also reacted, but focused his criticism on the monarchy and avoided criticizing the police action. Meanwhile, Junts and ANC are joining forces to denounce repression, while ERC is taking a more anti-monarchist stance. ANC has always been an organization closer to Junts, while Òmnium Cultural is in Esquerra's orbit.

Lluís Llach added another failure yesterday, like all the rallies and performances ANC has held this past year. His intention was to restore the enthusiasm of civic separatist supporters and turn ANC back into a mass organization. The lack of young people at the rallies is a clear sign of the disconnect with procesismo.

The separatist movement shares its rejection of the monarchy, but sees procesista mobilizations as a futile strategy. That's why not even anti-monarchist demonstrations are successful anymore. That's why ANC settles for having the King enter the monastery through the back door.