New Fight Between Erc and Junts in a Decisive Week

The pro-independence unity is a chimera. The investiture negotiations, far from rebuilding bridges between ERC and Junts, have become a new source of friction. Carles Puigdemont's party has just rejected Esquerra's latest proposal to forge a common strategy in Madrid.

In recent hours, Marta Rovira, Esquerra's general secretary, has reiterated that her priority is "the strategic agreement with Junts." She has therefore insisted on the common pro-independence front. She has tried to flex her muscles by warning PSOE not to take the Republicans' support for granted.

However, Junts's leadership distrusts ERC's intentions and rules out joining forces to negotiate in Madrid. The post-convergents continue to maintain discretion while Esquerra sends public messages. But the reality is that mistrust has been growing and the situation is now irreparable.

No to the Common Pro-Independence Front

Junts opened the door to negotiation with ERC after the July 23 elections, but things have cooled down. Puigdemont's party rejects Esquerra's tactical maneuvers, for example with the formation of the Congress Bureau. While the Republicans air their negotiations with PSOE, Junts believes that discretion is their best weapon and reminds that "this is not about seats."

The two formations differ in priorities and this has increased mistrust. Junts wants to agree with Esquerra on a roadmap with a broader scope than the investiture itself, while for ERC the priority is to avoid new elections. It is precisely in the negotiations with PSOE where Junts doesn't trust Esquerra.

The post-convergents do not forget the close relationship between ERC and PSOE in the last legislature, nor the agreements with PSC in city councils and provincial councils. Therefore, they make it clear that there will be no common pro-independence front. The final decision will be made by themselves without interference from anyone else.

Tension Grows Between ERC and Junts

The latest episodes clearly show the moment of division that the pro-independence parties are going through. This very Sunday, the minister and deputy general secretary of strategy of ERC, Juli Fernández, denounced "interested leaks" from Junts. He was referring to the statements from Puigdemont's party leadership rejecting the common pro-independence front.

In Junts, they reiterate that Esquerra is not to be trusted, that they have already given the nod to Pedro Sánchez and that in light of this "there is no room for negotiation." Fernández responds to them "that we will not enter the investiture game hand in hand with them." The bridges are completely broken.

The Final Decision Will Be Made in Waterloo

Although ERC's leadership is trying to cool down optimism, the negotiations with PSOE for the formation of the bureau are well advanced. The Republicans are willing to facilitate a progressive majority as a preliminary step to the investiture negotiations. By then, their strategy is for the fourteen pro-independence deputies (ERC plus Junts) to present PSOE with consensual demands.

Junts continues to make no public statements and keeps the progress of the negotiations a mystery. Only two things are clear. One, that the final decision will be made by Puigdemont, and two, that right now the hardline sector of the leadership in favor of the blockade thesis prevails.

The latest judicial decisions have fueled Junts's reticence and hardened Puigdemont's hard core in Waterloo. On the other hand, they consider it a "historic opportunity." The decision they make will largely determine the future of the pro-independence movement.