The PSC and Comuns forget the Catalan Summer University

Prada of ConflentThe PSC and Comuns have once again been absent this year from the Catalan Summer University (UCE) in Prada de Conflent. The space for training and reflection of Catalanism and sovereignty in the Catalan Countries has a marked pro-independence accent, but all Catalanist formations have been welcome and the PSC has historically been present. Comuns have also not attended this year and no CUP leader has intervened, unlike Junts and ERC or other extra-parliamentary parties like Alhora. What are the reasons for these absences?

While Aliança Catalana remains excluded by the UCE, the other cases are completely different. The university's governing team opens its doors to "democratic formations", but not everyone is equally eager to be there. CUP sources admit that it is true that "due to dates" in recent years it has been "complicated" to organize, but the anticapitalist membership "participates and attends various talks held at the UCE", as was the case of the deputy Dani Cornellà, in a talk on renewable energies last Thursday. Former CUP deputy Anna Gabriel had participated on numerous occasions, as is remembered within the UCE, in a trend that has changed over the years.

For their part, Comuns sources maintain that they have not received any "formal invitation as a political organization to participate in this year's UCE". In any case, they explain that "years ago some members" of their political space had taken part. And that they have "the utmost respect" for the organization, without "any inconvenience in debating with other democratic political forces", wherever they are invited.

Regarding the PSC, consulted sources do not specify the reason for this year's absence, unlike what happened last year, when the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, inaugurated the event. But they recall that former president José Montilla had attended. And, in fact, he starred in a historic photograph three years ago with former presidents Jordi Pujol, Carles Puigdemont, Quim Torra and Pere Aragonès. And the president of the PSC parliamentary group in Parliament, Ferran Pedret, resumed his presence at the UCE in 2022 for the first time since the Procés, with the aim of debating wherever they are invited.

The Government's presence

The Government has indeed been present in Prada in recent days, but with independent members, without a socialist party card. This is the case of the Minister of Linguistic Policy, Francesc Xavier Vila, who has closed the event; the Director General of Social and Solidarity Economy and Cooperativism, David Bonvehí, in a cooperativism conference, and the delegate to Northern Catalonia, Albert Piñeira, who has witnessed numerous events.

Precisely, during this closing ceremony, Vila took the opportunity to defend the role of the UCE as an indispensable "space for thought" in an academic world that, in his opinion, "suffers from disorientation with unscientific dogmas", and has guaranteed its continuity with the "support of institutions". Vila's words come after the president of the UCE Foundation, Joandomènec Ros, revealed that the event had been on the verge of being suspended this year because at the end of July it still did not have the Government's financial aid guaranteed. In this context, the president of the Diputació de Lleida, Joan Talarn, has announced that the corporation will double its contribution to the UCE to help ensure its future editions.