Graupera tries again

BarcelonaAlhora, the party founded in 2024 by Clara Ponsatí and Jordi Graupera, has begun to deploy its municipal strategy with the aim of presenting itself in some forty town councils in the 2027 elections. Currently, Alhora has no councilors of its own: it had never run in municipal elections before. But the party has already made public, in Sant Cugat del Vallès, its first confirmed candidacy: it is the one that will be led by lawyer Maria Vila.

This is the first test of a bet that comes after an adverse precedent: in the Catalan elections of May 2024, Alhora only obtained 13,700 votes (0.4% of the ballots), a result that precipitated Ponsatí's withdrawal. According to Graupera, in statements to ARA, that result is explained because the elections were called six days after its foundation: "We knew it was practically impossible to enter Parliament, but when you found a party you have a duty to stand." The party has gone from six founders to more than five hundred militants.

"Every millimeter you gain is not taken from you"

Graupera assures that Alhora already has "a candidacy exploration committee" in 41 municipalities, although it is not yet certain how many lists will ultimately be presented. The criterion combines "areas with active militancy and strong Catalan identity" – as is the case in cities like Sant Cugat – "with places where outgoing councilors from other parties want to join the project". Besides Sant Cugat, Granollers could be the second city where there could be another candidacy. Councilor Joan Ricart – until now on the Primàries list – explained to ARA that nothing has been decided yet, but that in Granollers they will consider running as Alhora: "I would like [the rest of the municipalities] to do so, like us".

Why does Graupera believe they can now succeed where they haven't before? He presents it as "a slow process", not a second chance: "In a context where parties are losing militants in droves, an extra-parliamentary party, without resources and without great fortunes, has reached half a thousand. Every millimeter you gain is a millimeter they don't take from you." The objective, he says, is to "cross the border of institutionalization" to start having real effects, not just media influence.

The candidacy of Sant Cugat

How is Maria Vila presenting her candidacy in Sant Cugat? The lawyer focuses her discourse on "the exhaustion of the city model," with "the scarcity of nursery school places and nursing homes, which forces the children of those who settled here in the eighties and nineties to leave because they cannot afford an apartment or rent." Regarding concrete measures, she says she is still in an "listening" phase before finalizing the program. Vila believes there is now more electoral room than in 2024 because the Catalan elections two years ago were called "hastily," and she agrees with Graupera that "now the party has more militants and scope to prepare candidacies.