Xavier Trias Still Hasn't Overcome His Defeat

It has been 32 days since Jaume Collboni (PSC) was inaugurated as mayor of Barcelona, and Xavier Trias (Junts) still hasn't gotten over it. The candidate blurted out "to hell with all of you" and blamed Spanish nationalism for his failure. In his first appearance since then, Trias has insisted on the same idea.

Trias attributed the agreement between PSC, Comuns, and PP to a state operation to prevent an independentist government in Barcelona. Still resentful over his defeat, he has participated in his first campaign event in these general elections. Trias has warned against the "Spanish nationalism" that "wants to destroy us".

The mayoral candidate has again recalled the government pact in Barcelona, which he has labeled a "democratic disgrace". He also hasn't forgotten that PP tried to destroy him politically in 2014 by "inventing" that he had money in Switzerland.

Xavier Trias Radicalizes

The former mayor of Barcelona represented the conciliatory line within Junts that called for rebuilding the post-convergent space. After the investiture pact, he himself acknowledged having radicalized and being now more independentist than before. He is convinced that there is a plot against him and against sovereignty.

Trias has criticized PSOE and PP for fighting now when "they prefer the mayor of Barcelona to be socialist rather than Trias". He added that "Feijóo walks these streets clearly explaining what he has achieved, which is to stop the independentists".

Trias considers it "an ethical disgrace and way of acting" and has invited to "get these politicians out and tell them to leave once and for all". Once again, he has hinted that there is a front in Madrid against independentism. "They all agree," he stated, "so we'll have to get them out two by two".

Junts, Very Predictable

Junts has raised the tone in this final stretch of the campaign, but their strategy remains very predictable. The heavyweights of Junts have participated in an event at the Born Cultural Center. There, Jordi Turull, Carles Puigdemont, and Míriam Nogueras have united against abstention and "those who want to decapitate independentism".

Carles Puigdemont has insisted on the international judicial strategy after having lost his immunity as a member of the European Parliament. He insists that "outside the Spanish state we have changed the rules of the game and they treat us with neutrality".

Jordi Turull has attacked the coalition government and the judicial leadership, attributing "Francoist tendencies" to them with the "blessing of the King".

The head of the list, Míriam Nogueras, has called for a massive vote on Sunday "for the repressed, the nation, and the Catalan language". Junts is relying on the Puigdemont effect in the final stretch of the campaign and has brought out the prisoners and exiles. Nothing new in the pro-independence parish.