The Puigdemont return operation, with the 1-O government and Tarradellas spirit

BarcelonaThe operation for the return of former president Carles Puigdemont to Catalonia has been cooked slowly, so that since the end of last year it is already closed and has all the logistical details ironed out. But under lock and key, following the model of the fleeting return of August 8, 2024, which was piloted by a reduced nucleus and in which the general secretary, Jordi Turull, and the vice-president, Toni Castellà, participated actively. As ARA has been able to ascertain, the details of the return are kept with the utmost secrecy, but a series of elements are clear, such as "the key participation" of the October 1 government in the return event, which will prioritize its own institutional framework for a president in exile. This should allow the reunion of essential figures from that executive, such as Oriol Junqueras, its vice-president, at a time when pro-sovereignty entities and the president of the Parliament, Carme Forcadell, were also fundamental.

pronounces itself in the same way as the Advocate General in eight out of ten casesEuropean court sources tell this newspaper that there is still no forecast for the date of the ruling. Likewise, knowledgeable Catalan sources maintain that the resolution "will be favorable" and note that the Supreme Court, which is the one that must apply the amnesty, "will have no room for maneuver" and will have to allow the return of the former head of the Government. The CJEU

pronounces itself in the same way as the Advocate General in eight out of ten cases.

Prepared return

At this point, Junts has the power of the country's second institution, the presidency of the Parliament, in the hands of Josep Rull, who will once again be key. In fact, an institutional reception is being prepared in the chamber. If Tarradellas had the Generalitat to make that famous speech from the balcony of the Palau for the entire Plaça Sant Jaume, now Puigdemont can refer to the Parliament, where he is a deputy. In Tarradellas' case, he returned to El Prat airport, which now bears his name, where he already had a reception, before the culminating moment in the center of the Catalan capital.

Puigdemont will have to say goodbye to the House of the Republic, in Waterloo, which has been his residence for nine years of exile (with a small parenthesis in Northern Catalonia during the 2024 electoral campaign). The most remembered event of these last years was in February 2020 in Perpignan, where more than 100,000 people demonstrated alongside him. Northern Catalonia was key for the 1-O referendum and Puigdemont has paid tribute to it over the years. It will also be one of the territories he will visit on his country tour, as this newspaper already explained. Thus, he will go to municipalities throughout Catalonia, beyond the emotional events expected in Girona, the city he governed, and his hometown, Amer.

A labyrinth

Everything has been prolonged because the Supreme Court refused to apply the amnesty approved two years ago. However, according to consulted sources, for more than a year socialist emissaries have maintained that Puigdemont will be able to return after a resolution from the Constitutional Court (TC) once the TJUE has ruled. Other sources point out that the thesis maintained is that "the return will be possible in July, but no one is putting their hand in the fire." Even another leader concludes that internally the feeling has been installed that the PSOE would not be doing everything possible to accelerate the deadlines — for example, in the Constitutional Court, where the progressive sector is the majority — waiting to see if Junts ends up ousting Puigdemont internally or if he is made to change his mind so that he leaves politics and a pragmatic shift is promoted in the party. After so many complications, the Junts supporters are still at sea and only want to believe what they see, hoping that everything is in the bag and well tied before venturing to make calculations.

¿Leader of the opposition?

Leaders from across the territory expect Puigdemont's return to allow for the acceleration of key decision-making, such as the appointment of an opposition leader, and to further smooth Junts' path two years before the Catalan elections and one year before the municipal elections. As the leader of the second party in the Parliament, it would be logical for Puigdemont to serve as opposition leader once he returns to Catalonia, but this is a decision that has not yet been made: "It will be made once the return is enabled by the European justice system," explain Junts sources.Puigdemont himself decided some time ago that he "will lead the alternative" and will run in the next Catalan elections, which will also allow for "better combatting Silvia Orriols," the leader of the far-right independentist movement, who is gaining ground on Junts in the polls.

There are also some voices who believe there should be a complete assimilation to the old Convergència and a change of leadership in Junts, although this is a minority option.