Juntos does not rule out a motion of censure against Sánchez without Feijóo as a candidate.

BarcelonaFor weeks, Junts has been exerting pressure and issuing warnings to the Spanish government. The warnings escalated in August with words from the party's president, Carles Puigdemont: "In the autumn, things may happen that haven't happened until now, because we've already given ourselves enough time." And since the start of the school year, the Junts members have said that they will soon make "a decision" on their support for Pedro Sánchez. This decision is surrounded by Junts' hypothetical support for a motion of no confidence, which the arithmetic of Congress would make pass through an agreement with the PP. Today, the vice president of the Junts, Antoni Castellà, has ruled out supporting Feijóo as a candidate, although the motion is conditional on an election call. However, in an interview with Ideas Cafe of RTVE, has opened the door to supporting an "instrumental motion."

Although Puigdemont's party believes there is "a crisis of confidence" in Pedro Sánchez, Castellà has warned that "it would be crazy" to give more confidence "to someone like Feijóo." If the Junts were to withdraw support for Pedro Sánchez, "the most logical thing," Castellà said, would be for the president of the Spanish government to call elections. If not, the vice president of Junts did not rule out the possibility of an "instrumental motion" being proposed, with a candidate "who does not aspire to be president of anything," and that would serve to call elections. However, Castellà has pointed out that "we are not here now."

Unlike in Madrid, where Junts balances its role as parliamentary opposition to Sánchez and a role of support for the executive subject to compliance with the investiture pacts, in Catalonia the party presents itself as the direct opposite of Salvador Illa and the Catalan government. In this sense, Castellà today accused the PSC of being "dragged down by the far left." In last week's general policy debate, the group's president in Parliament, Albert Batet, raised the tone against Prime Minister Salvador Illa, comparing him to Donald Trump.

The budgets

The Catalan government has yet to begin talks to negotiate a budget for 2026. ERC and Comuns are putting these talks on ice, making them conditional on compliance with the investiture agreements and progress on financing and housing. When asked if Junts would be willing to negotiate the budget, Castellà sought to distance himself from the Catalan executive: "Why should we do it? It's never been proposed to us." In fact, at the start of the current year, the regional government members closed the door to sitting down to discuss the budget with Isla's executive. Castellà, in this regard, has conditioned an understanding with the PSC on a change of alliances for the Socialists: "Is Isla willing to break with the Comuns?" Castellà asked, adding that Jéssica Albiach's party is "incompatible" with Junts and has placed him on the "populist extremes."