Who will be the candidates for the four Catalan capitals?

Barcelona / Girona / Tarragona / LleidaThe 2023 municipal elections brought a political change to the city councils of the four Catalan capitals. Girona was the only city to retain a pro-independence government, while the Socialists won the mayoralties of Barcelona, ​​Tarragona, and Lleida. Halfway through their term, the parties with institutional representation are beginning to move toward the 2027 municipal elections. Which candidates will continue and which will not?

Barcelona

Collboni awaits opponents

When they are about to turn two years old since their arrival in extremis Jaume Collboni, who is already eyeing re-election for the Barcelona mayoral office thanks to the votes of Barcelona en Comú and the People's Party (PP), is already eyeing re-election. The Socialist mayor has already publicly stated that he wants to run for a second term, which is one of the few certainties currently remaining in the 2027 municipal elections in the Catalan capital. The candidates from the other parties are still to be determined, and in some cases, the election promises to be close.

The uncertainty surrounding the 2027 elections stems from what has happened in these first two years of his term. Collboni's last-minute investiture has, as a result, led to the withdrawal of Xavier Trias—who won the last election—and Ernest Maragall from the political front line. Both had an agreement to govern together that blew up when the Commons and the PP gave their votes to the Socialist mayoral candidate, and both ended up leaving the City Council, as did the former mayor and Commons candidate, Ada Colau, once the door to a government with the PSC was closed.

Junts, Barcelona en Comú and ERC, therefore, have the difficult task ahead of them of finding candidates to replace these three heavyweights. The Republicans – who are acting as Collboni's preferred partners and were on the verge of entering the government – are the ones who have it clearest, with Elisenda Alamany already acting as a candidate. in pectore Although some voices within the party question whether this is compatible with being the general secretary of Esquerra. Juntos and the Comuneros, on the other hand, have more work to do.

In the case of the junteros (Junteros), the debate has been ongoing for some time and divides the party between those who point to Josep Rius—now a councilor and who enjoys the utmost confidence of Carles Puigdemont—and those who oppose it and believe an alternative candidate is necessary. The group's current leader, Jordi Martí, also wants to be a candidate, but names such as Joaquim Forn and even Artur Mas have also been mentioned in the polls.

As for the Comuneros (Comuneros), Colau says that returning is not among her plans, but this door is never completely closed. Without its greatest figure of recent years, the space is forced to look for an alternative. Janet Sanz is now the most visible face, but this is her fourth term in the City Council, and the option of a name from the social movements, like Colau in her day, is also on the table.

Daniel Sirera's future seems clearer. The man who decided Collboni should be mayor hopes to run again, although in the case of the PP, the final say will, as always, be Génova.

Girona

No clear candidates except for Junts halfway through their term

When Lluc Salellas, current mayor of Girona for Guanyem, stood again as a candidate for the 2023 municipal elections, he was able to do so thanks toan express exceptionof the CUP's political council. An anti-capitalist activist, he was exceeding the limit of two terms in the front line of politics. That's whyhas always been committed to leaving institutional politicsonce this mandate ends. We win, therefore,a progressive and transversal coalitionwhich incorporates and is born from the CUP Girona, is halfway through its mandate in Girona without a clear candidate for the next elections. But it is not alone in that equation. The PSC, the party that won the municipal elections two years ago but is not governing thanks to an agreement between the three pro-independence parties in Girona (Guanyem, Junts and ERC), remains without a clear political leader.

The departure of Silvia Paneque assupercounselor in the government of the Generalitathas left the municipal group without a strong leader. It is led by its former deputy, Bea Esporrín, who on Thursday closed the event organized by the Socialists at the Hotel Bellavista in Girona, convinced that in 2027 there will be change in Girona and that this time, "it will be led by the PSC." However, what is not at all clear is who from the PSC will lead it.

The same is happening with Esquerra.great success by Joaquim AyatsThe last two terms have been spent trying to pacify a group like Girona, which is accustomed to internal wars. Now, however, a competitor has emerged.with the support of Oriol Junquerasto run in Girona. This is Marc Puigtió, former mayor of Sant Julià de Ramis. In December 2024, he presented the Gironí Movement, distancing himself from the ERC party, and maintains that he will run in the municipal elections whether he is elected as the Republican candidate or not. In this equation, what is now less in doubt is Gemma Geis's leadership in Junts, after her 2023 electionwas chosen as a candidate at the last minuteas a result of internal disagreements. First deputy mayor of Girona, she has increased her institutional activity in recent months thanks to also being the second vice president of the Provincial Council.

As for the PP and Vox, which complete the municipal plenary session with one deputy, no major changes are expected. On the PP side, there is Jaume Veray, now also a deputy in the Parliament and brother of Concepció Veray, whoHe first became a councilor at the City Council in 1996.Francisco Javier Domínguez García is in Vox, with a tacit agreement from the other groups to prevent him from taking center stage.

Tarragona

The PSC trusts Viñuales to retain the mayoralty

The bet that the Tarragona Socialist Workers' Party (PSC) made in the last municipal elections on Rubén Viñuales, who had been the leader of Ciutadans (Citizens), worked, and the Socialists were able to regain the mayor's office in 2023, which they had lost to ERC (Republican Citizens' Party) after 12 consecutive years governing the city. The renewal of the Socialist Party, which was tainted by the Inipro case, was necessary, and Viñuales was the person chosen to lead it. One of the great challenges for the new mayor, who had only 9 of the 14 councilors needed to achieve a majority in the plenary hall, was being able to reach agreements, and two years later, Viñuales has demonstrated that ability. The first budget of his term was approved with the votes in favor of ERC (6 councilors), Junts (3), and En Comú Podem (2), while the second was passed with the support of Junts and En Comú Podem, achieving the necessary 14 votes.

The remainder of the term is expected to be more difficult because a member of the council recently left the party due to disagreements with the municipal leadership. The total number of votes, if the current non-affiliated councilor were to be lost, would remain at 13, one short of the majority. "Nothing has changed for us," explain Socialist sources, who insist they are very clear that they are in the minority and that it is their turn to negotiate. Furthermore, as the end of the term approaches, opposition parties may want to distance themselves from the government and stop supporting the budget. "The key is to approve the next budget," explain Socialist sources, as this would allow them to be extended until 2027 without too many problems. However, the first objective is to try to reach agreements with any party "except Vox."

Maria Mercè Martorell's People's Party (PP) has remained on the sidelines of the most important pacts, and this position will become even more pronounced at the end of the term. From ERC, Xavier Puig, who has already put himself forward as a mayoral candidate, advances that it will also be difficult for the government to have the support of the Republicans. "We extended our hand in the first year and gave them a chance, but they don't keep their commitments," he complains. The councilor recognizes that they have "a lot of work" to recover the mayor's office but remains optimistic: "After Manresa, we were the major city that achieved the best result," he explains, asserting that most of what Viñuales is doing "is a Republican legacy" from the previous term.

Jordi Sendra, current leader of the party in Tarragona, has also put himself forward as a mayoral candidate, in this case from Junts. In the Popular Party, Maria Mercè Martorell is also reportedly willing to renew her candidacy, despite stressing that "the party has the final say." The Comuns, on the other hand, have a more open outlook. The intention seems to be to repeat the formula and run united again (En Comú and Podem), and Jordi Collado could renew his candidacy, but the 2027 elections still seem a long way off.

Lleida

Everyone wants to repeat

Almost all of the political spokespersons in the Paeria will lead the 2027 candidacies. Some have stated this explicitly, such as the opposition leader, the Popular Party (PP) leader Xavier Palau, and the rest of the political leaders have also confirmed their position, but only in a limited way. The context is favorable to them, but they don't want to break their party regulations, which set the start of the electoral process a year from now. Socialist Fèlix Larrosa, who governs in a minority in Lleida, appears in all the PSC polls. "There would have to be a [political] earthquake for him not to be our candidate," Socialist sources acknowledge.

Larrosa feels strong. In his first legislative review before business leaders, he delivered a speech entitled "Lleida advances," and will deliver another, likely equally enthusiastic, in the coming weeks. Things are going relatively smoothly for him in a city where socialism has reigned for more than 40 years. He was able to push through the budget thanks to the support of Junts (Junts), and if things don't go awry, he will be the favorite in 2027. "We're not yet ready to look at the top candidates, but all our mayors are doing a very good job, and if they want to repeat their term, we'll support them," says Judit Alcalá, the organizing secretary of the PSC federation in the province. But Alcalá points out that, in a year, they won't be nominated.

Junts and ERC, which changed leadership due to the electoral defeat, also have clear candidates. Their spokespersons, Violant Cervera and Jordina Freixanet, are the best positioned. Both express their desire, but remain cautious. "I see myself eager to move forward, but we haven't even started the internal process," adds Freixanet, who confesses to being "bored" in the opposition and energized to return to government, if necessary, again with Junts. "We have an obligation to understand each other," she concludes.

The People's Party, with Xavier Palau already at the helm, won five councilors in the elections two years ago and the internal authority to confirm its position as a mayoral candidate. "We had an extraordinary result," he confirms, "we are the alternative to one of the worst policies in the city." Guaranteeing security, improving cleanliness, and regulating immigration are his promises (the same ones he made two years ago). Gloria Rico, of Vox, who emerged with two seats, also feels strongly about running, with the necessary approval from the executive branch in Madrid. Laura Bergés, of Comú, is the most cautious. "I'm focused on political action; there's still a long way to go, but I'm not saying no," she says.