The space of Junts and the former CiU did not always have the metropolitan municipalities so crossed: CiU won the Catalan elections of 2010 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, with 28.11% of the votes; it also won in Badalona with 30.95%, was second in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, with 24.68% of the votes, four points behind the PSC, and second also, with 21.85%, in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. Beyond these results, which were a mirage, during the legislatures of Jordi Pujol, the ex-president also gathered support that reached 30% among the hospitalencs in 1992, remaining above 20% in the current black holes in the Catalan elections and reaching a quarter of the colomenc voters in the same year; all this despite the absolute socialist reign in the vast majority of elections, including municipal ones. In that stage there was a stable representation in these towns, although with a position of clear inferiority compared to the PSC.
Junts' nightmare and their plan to reverse it
The separatists put the thermometer to the "zero municipalities", in which they promote multiple discussion groups
BarcelonaJunts has accelerated the appointment of candidates for the municipal elections. According to Junts sources consulted by ARA, the objective is to have the names of the list leaders ready "this summer" for what will be a trial by fire for Carles Puigdemont's party, especially in a context where the threat of Aliança Catalana looms, which could steal support from them. Beyond the tug-of-war in inland Catalonia, there is an absolute priority: the metropolitan area and "zero municipalities," those in which they have no representation. What is the reality and the plan to reverse this electoral nightmare?
"If we want to be a reference party, we must have a presence throughout the metropolitan area," Junts sources conclude, although they are aware of the difficulty of regaining lost councilors. They are outside the second most populated city in the Principality, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat; the fourth, Badalona; the ninth, Santa Coloma de Gramenet; the thirteenth, Cornellà de Llobregat; the fourteenth, Sant Boi de Llobregat... The context is not favorable and there are cities like Viladecans where they have not entered since 2011, as well as in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Cornellà de Llobregat or Badia del Vallès. In 2015, these were the last elections before the decline, the last time they obtained representation in Sant Adrià de Besòs, L'Hospitalet, Sant Boi, Rubí, Barberà del Vallès, Montcada i Reixac, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Sant Vicenç dels Horts and Ripollet. In 2019, on the other hand, it was the last contest with councilors in Badalona and Santa Coloma de Cervelló. Where they had good news in 2023 was in Esplugues de Llobregat or El Prat, where they regained the councilor they had.
The appointments recently made by the party reinforce the strategy of regeneration and "hard work." They have done so in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, with Esther Alòs; in Viladecans, with Esther Lligadas; Eliseu Estelrich in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, or Anna Casamián in Rubí. In Sant Adrià de Besòs, however, Àngel Gil will repeat, as will Ramon Barau in Sant Boi. However, key points remain to be clarified, such as Badalona, where Junts disappeared in the last elections. For now, the party has left autonomy to the municipalities to promote local talent, without star signings and with a defined discourse.
Focus groups and taxes
For municipalities without representation, the strategy consists of approaching citizens through their local groups, but also meeting with entities in each municipality. A strategy that has also been concatenated with the application of a technique common in political science, the "focus group" or discussion group. According to consulted sources, they invite residents of any tendency to "listen to their problems and ideas", starting from the point that "if Junts has not had representation for a long time, something has been done wrong" and there are concerns with which it has not known how to "connect". The head of this strategy is the metropolitan leader of the party, Isidre Sierra, and the head of municipal policy in Catalonia, Joan Ramon Casals. It so happens that Sierra resigned in February as mayor of Sant Climent de Llobregat, a benchmark municipality: it is a town with total Junts dominance in local elections, while in Catalan and Spanish elections the PSC clearly wins – the successor is Jordi Pérez.
Junts' approach is to address public service problems, advocate for rebalancing within cities, and combat tax pressure – by lowering them – also by incorporating into the discourse that the fiscal deficit of 21 billion euros harms services in all municipalities in Catalonia and the investments they receive. Consulted sources point out that "it cannot be that the lack of resources leads to an increase in tax pressure", which can put businesses and the middle class in difficulty.
And there is a fourth key point: coexistence and immigration. "We don't talk about immigration, we need to talk about coexistence," they maintain; that is, about "common rules for everyone" and to "avoid ghettos". Setting aside the migratory issue stricto sensu
does not mean addressing implications that demographic growth may have, for which they ask each municipality to adapt with primary care centers and schools. This is the case of the more than 3,000 new homes in the Viladecans neighborhood of Les Olivetes. In the case of Sant Cugat, on the other hand, they have requested priority for local residents in access to protected housingpriority for local residents in access to protected housing. In addition, the party also seeks for municipalities to be imbued with Junts' strategy in Congress, adopting the law on repeat offenders or against illegal occupation, in addition to prioritizing the defense of the language.
In parallel to this whole plan, metropolitan localities with great results facilitate economic resources towards these zero municipalities. Begues, Sant Climent, la Palma de Cervelló, el Papiol or Sant Cugat del Vallès are some of the metropolitan strongholds. Outside the metropolitan area, in Martorell, there is an example of how Junts snatches a socialist locality in the rest of the elections.
The convergent gene
The convergent gene has significant vitality in the metropolitan area, with a growing pride, as ARA has confirmed from various local sources. A Pujolista approach of "a job well done" and "combining liberal and social democratic policies." Badalona has even made videos to claim Jordi Pujol, Artur Mas, and Carles Puigdemont with the thread of convergent continuity. However, there is still an element to be defined that cannot be overlooked: the candidate for Barcelona. The party has not chosen the face that will represent them in the 2027 municipal elections. A name that "helps the brand" and has an impact on large municipalities like L'Hospitalet or Sant Adrià, even more so when there is a "well-crafted metropolitan discourse" like that of former mayor Xavier Trias, according to some sources.
