The Orriols of Junts and the Aragonès of Aliança

BarcelonaThe Orriols surname has become increasingly popular in Catalan politics since the mayor of Ripoll came to power with a fiery speech against immigration and against other pro-independence parties. She is one of the founders of Aliança Catalana, the far-right party that is gaining the most in polls, especially at the expense of Junts. But there is also an Orriols who precisely represents Carles Puigdemont's formation: Irina Orriols, the sister. She is a councilor in Sora, a small town of just over 200 inhabitants in the Osona region, bordering Ripollès. The political origin of the two sisters is the same, the Front Nacional de Catalunya. In fact, they ran together in 2019 in Ripoll, with Sílvia as the lead candidate and Irina in a symbolic number 9, to accompany her sister. But in 2023 they chose different paths and, in Sora, Irina Orriols was the fourth most voted councilor when she represented Junts with the open list system.

Irina Orriols has not wanted to make statements to ARA, but the mayor of Sora, Josep Maria Isern, has done so to explain why they ran under the Junts umbrella: "We ran with Junts because we believe it is the party that best defines us." The mayor makes it clear that the relationship between the two sisters has not affected the day-to-day running of the council: "We have never had any relationship with Sílvia and they are sisters, but everyone leads their own life."

Irina, a veterinarian by profession, is now a farmer and, as her sister assured and the mayor confirms, she does not receive any remuneration from the City Council. "There are councilors who receive a small payment for attending plenary sessions, which we hold four times a year, and others who do not, like Irina".

The two Orriols have not faced each other at the polls, but the two Aragonès have, who are cousins. We are talking about Pere Aragonès, the former president of the Generalitat, and Jordi Aragonès, another of the promoters of Aliança Catalana. The former led the ERC list in the last parliamentary elections, and the latter was number 2 on the far-right party's candidacy. While the former head of the executive has developed his entire career in Esquerra, leading the party's youth wing, the ideologue of Aliança was a member of Uniò de Joves and Uniò Democràtica de Catalunya before joining Orriols' project. Despite being cousins, they have both disqualified their respective parties on social media.

Brothers and rivals at the polls

The duel between brothers caused more damage in the last municipal elections in Hostalets de Pierola. Not even family ties between candidates gave a truce to the open war between Junts and ERC. The Junts mayoral candidate, Jordi Parcerisas, winner of the elections, saw his older brother snatch the mayoralty from him and send him to the opposition by forming an agreement with the PSC. The fact that the ERC and Junts candidates were brothers and had already governed together during the last term did not prevent the breakup.

Where blood did not reach the river was in Torredembarra, where two brothers also faced each other at the polls. Jordi Pujol was third on the PP list and his younger brother, Dani, was number 7 on the Esquerra list, but neither of them was elected, although the latter narrowly missed out as the Republicans obtained six councilors.

In Argentona, the confrontation between two brothers from 2019 would also have been reissued if it hadn't been for the justice system. However, the Electoral Board removed the Junts candidate in Argentona, Eudald Calvo, due to his conviction for disobedience stemming from the October 1st referendum, and thus avoided the duel with his brother, Bernat Calvo, who was linked to the PDECat brand.

All of this is just a few examples of family members and rivals in Catalan politics. Cases to which new ones will surely be added next year, when the turn for new municipal elections arrives.