Setback for Junqueras: Critics win ERC primaries in Barcelona
Cruz Camacho narrowly defeats Eva Baró, opening a confrontation with the national leadership.
BarcelonaCritics win the ERC primaries in Barcelona, and Creu Camacho will lead the federation. By a narrow margin of 14 votes, the Dignidad Republicana candidate prevailed over Eva Baró's Endavant Barcelona list, which had the endorsement of Oriol Junqueras. Camacho obtained 338 votes (49.6%) ahead of Baró's 324 (47.5%)—there were 20 blank votes (2.9%)—in a primary in which 72% of the membership participated—two points above the congress a year and a half ago. The party in the Catalan capital was once again split in half, but this time the ruling party candidate lost the battle. The results represent a setback for Oriol Junqueras, the first he has suffered since being reelected as leader of the Republicans last December. The national leadership no longer has the ERC leadership in the Catalan capital as an ally, a pattern that has been repeated throughout the history of the federation, which It has historically acted as a countervailing power in the national leadership.
Since the melon was opened to elect the new direction of the Barcelona federation, the city has repeated, in part, the battle that ERC has experienced in recent months at the national level; until now it has been the only territory in which it has been presented a candidacy critical of the ruling partyThe first regional congress held at the beginning of the month was in Girona, where a consensus candidacy was presented between the party's different factions, led by Pau Presas and Laia Cañigueral. In Barcelona, the list headed by Creu Camacho alongside Miquel Colomé brought together members who supported the New National Left (such as councilor Rosa Suriñach) and also Foc Nou (Alfred Bosch is one of the people behind the candidacy). Baró, on the other hand, represented Junquerism in Barcelona and wanted to boast about having brought together members with whom he clashed a year and a half ago, such as Patrícia Gomà, who led the list of Junqueras critics. The candidacy was also supported by the current leader of the Republican group on the Barcelona city council, Elisenda Alamany.
In a statement, Baró celebrated the high turnout, affirmed that the "membership is sovereign" and congratulated the federation's new leadership, wishing them luck and success. Camacho, also in a statement, stressed that the victory belongs to "all the members who believed that a profound change was necessary in ERC Barcelona" and set his sights on achieving a "united party" and working towards the 2027 municipal elections.
Collboni's entry into the government
Whether or not Jaume Collboni will join the municipal government has been the focus of these primary campaigns and is likely to continue to shape the debate in the coming weeks. In fact, the failed referendum of June last year The lack of capacity at the Orfeó Martinenc was the main reason why critics decided to take on Junquerism. Camacho's candidacy had criticized the leadership, which until now was led by Eva Baró, for not having reconvened the postponed congress and leaving the debate in standbyThe then Republican leadership in Barcelona decided to submit the pact they had reached with the Socialists to a consultation with the membership, an agreement that the national leadership then led by Marta Rovira—Oriol Junqueras had resigned—refused. In this sense, Republican Dignity had advocated resuming that congress "before the summer"; therefore, the debate could be reopened right at the midpoint of the mandate. Eva Baró's party, on the other hand, advocated debating this issue in an assembly on the "suitability of whether it is still appropriate to enter the municipal government."
A year ago, the Barcelona federation was already split in half in a battle between Baró and Gomà, which represented the first test of strength for Oriol Junqueras. At that time, the war had not yet broken out at the national level, although it was already brewing. The result was a narrow victory for Baró., although he beat Gomà's candidacy by only 23 votes. This is precisely the trend of recent congresses in Barcelona, where on almost every occasion more than one candidate has faced off in battles that have not exactly been placid.
