Businessmen distance themselves from Isla but do not find Together

BarcelonaJournalists are often criticized for asking about post-election pacts during campaigns rather than the proposals made by each party. This is a recurring criticism of political parties, especially those that prefer not to show all their cards to the voters and have room to maneuver to do whatever they want after the vote, unencumbered by the press archives. However, what is happening in both Catalonia and Madrid shows that this is one of the most relevant questions that can be put on the table, especially since parliamentary fragmentation is here to stay. It's not so important what a political leader wants, but what alliances they have to achieve it.

This week's complaint at the Círculo de Economía regarding Isla's government—which, paradoxically, they did not express with Pedro Sánchez—has a lot to do with this. "I won't deny that some of your government's measures don't seem to us to be the most appropriate for what the country needs," retorted the president of the Círculo de Economía, Jaume Guardiola. The pact Illa reached with Esquerra i Comuns (the Left and Commons) for the entire term is far from what some sectors of the Barcelona business community and the bourgeoisie—not all of them—expected from the Socialist government.

Before forming his executive, they probably assumed he would legislate in favor of their interests on taxes and housing, but since arriving at the Palau, Salvador Illa has gone in the opposite direction: he has agreed to regulate seasonal rentals with Esquerra, Comuns (the Left and Commons), and the CUP (the CUP); he has increased the property transfer tax for large property owners and for transactions over 900,000 euros; and he has raised the tourist tax, although it is now in limbo due to disagreement between partners. And he stood up in front of the audience of the Círculo de Economía (Economic Circle) when they asked him to change course; he made it clear, especially on housing issues, that he would intervene in the market because he considers it the main cause of inequality—the data speaks for itself. And Isla is convinced of that. After the speech, the president's entourage expressed satisfaction with the president's defense of social democracy in front of the audience. This isn't the first time Isla has taken a stand; he already did so when the Barcelona elite pressured him to make Xavier Trias mayor.

It's not that there's a rupture between this economic world and the Catalan government—if the Círculo sessions have demonstrated anything, it's their harmony with the socialist world—but this week it has become clear that Illa doesn't have the same agenda as the business community. The elephant in the room is El Prat airport, which Isla does agree should be expanded—a very significant development for the economic world—but he also doesn't have the approval of his parliamentary partners. Will there be a variable geometry here with Junts, as Guardiola requested? The PSC rules it out if it means losing Esquerra i Comuns as partners and, therefore, stability in Parliament.

The Hole for Together

Juntos wants to take advantage of Isla's distancing from the business community, particularly the Foment del Treball employers' association, to further attract the economic world to their party. It has already worked for them in Madrid—the employers' associations have entrusted them with halting the 37.5-hour workweek—and they are also strengthening this relationship in Catalonia. Above all, through two key players: Josep Sánchez Llibre (Foment) and Albert Batet (JxCat), who were comrades in CiU and who have now reestablished a permanent dialogue. This also applies to Waterloo. However, this desire to be the party that promotes the most pro-business policies contrasts with the absence of the Junts leadership from the Cercle, just after the The director proposed by the board members at the CNMC will endorse the takeover bid for Sabadell. (which is opposed by the majority of Catalan business leaders).

The Speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, attended the fortieth anniversary commemoration held on Tuesday afternoon. Batet made an appearance on Monday, while Victoria Alsina was at the dinner. However, there was no other leading figure: the Secretary General, Jordi Turull, was in Montserrat giving a talk on spirituality and prison on the day the conference was launched.

After this week's Cabinet press conference, there was no shortage of jokes: someone suggested that Yolanda Díaz was behind the massive blackout to coincide the approval of the reduction in working hours with her birthday. There was no shortage of breakfast at the government table, including potato and onion omelet.

Following the election of the new pope, most political leaders congratulated Leo XIV. However, neither the CUP nor Comuns parties did so, nor did the far-right pro-independence Catalan Alliance. The leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, simply wished him a successful pontificate, as his ties are with the other branch. more ultraconservative, of the church.