PSC sets its sights on Girona to expand its dominance against Puigdemont

Salvador Illa and Carles Puigdemont are still vying for political hegemony in post-procesisme Catalonia. Socialists and convergents are competing to expand their influence with a clear goal: the upcoming Catalan elections. However, there's another event that will set the tone for Catalan politics first: the 2027 municipal elections.

Aware of their importance, the parties have stepped up preparations for the upcoming municipal elections. After Junts, Aliança Catalana, and CUP kicked things off, it's the socialists' turn. PSC will gather its local leaders this Friday to map out the strategy and start getting ready.

The main goal is to consolidate their current position and expand their influence in two key areas: Girona and central Catalonia. Especially the Girona stronghold, which Salvador Illa sees as the key to challenging Carles Puigdemont's hegemony before the Catalan elections.

Consolidate and expand

At Palau, they consider the stabilization phase of the Illa government to be over, with the consolidation of the progressives' alliance and the approval of the credit supplement. Now they can devote efforts to new tasks, such as paving the way for the municipal elections, where they have an advantage because they'll be able to tout the success of their management in the Generalitat.

PSC gives a positive assessment of the first two years since the formation of the city councils. The socialists govern in 16 of the 23 largest cities in Catalonia. They hold all the provincial capitals and also dominate the provincial councils, in addition to having gained influence throughout the region.

But with the momentum from conquering the Generalitat, they believe they need to take another step and expand the majorities they already have. Especially in Barcelona, where Jaume Collboni has been unable to assemble a majority. They do have a majority in Lleida and Tarragona, but it still eludes them in Girona.

PSC did the hardest part in 2023, when, led by Sílvia Paneque, they managed to challenge separatism and win the elections. Only a Junts-ERC-CUP alliance managed to keep the pro-procesisme forces in power. The socialists believe the time has come to complete the conquest.

PSC, in pursuit of the desired hegemony

Salvador Illa believes that winning control of Girona would be a decisive blow ahead of the following year's elections. In addition to being a historically pro-separatism stronghold, it's also the city where Carles Puigdemont governed. It would be a symbolic victory, marking the collapse of procesisme and the rise of a new hegemony.

Everything suggests that the challenge will once again fall to the current councilor Sílvia Paneque. This would force Salvador Illa to have to reshuffle his government. With Paneque in Girona and Illa at Palau, PSC dreams of completing their hegemony in Catalonia in 2028.

The other goal for the municipal elections is to break through the metropolitan barrier and make inroads into inland Catalonia. In the metropolitan area, the priority is to challenge Badalona and Castelldefels from PP, and win back Terrassa. In inland Catalonia, PSC wants to gain influence in the counties of Lleida and the central counties.

This would also be a very important step in consolidating Catalonia's transformation after the Procés. This Friday, local leaders will receive a very clear message. PSC must be in 2027 the only alternative to nationalism and ideological extremes.