Together for Catalonia (2017)

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Not to be confused with Together for Catalonia (2020).
Together for Catalonia
Junts per Catalunya
AbbreviationJxCat, JuntsxCat
ChairpersonAlbert Batet
SpokespersonEduard Pujol
Founded13 November 2017 (2017-11-13) (alliance)
Registered11 July 2018 (2018-07-11) (party)
Dissolved22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)
Preceded byJunts pel Sí
Succeeded byTogether for Catalonia (2020)
Catalan European Democratic Party
HeadquartersC/ Calàbria, 169, 1ª
08015, Barcelona[1]
Ideology
Political positionBig tent[3][4][5]
European Parliament groupNon-Inscrits
Colors  Pink
MembersSee list of members
Website
juntspercatalunya.cat

Together for Catalonia[6][7] (Catalan: Junts per Catalunya, JxCat, also JuntsxCat) was an electoral and parliamentary alliance in Catalonia, registered as a political party in the interior ministry in July 2018,[8] originally envisaged as a platform comprising the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT), successor of the late Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC), and independents and centered around the candidacy of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont ahead of the 2017 Catalan regional election.[9][10] Some of these independents went on to form the Action for the Republic (AxR) political party,[11][12] which is also part of the alliance in the Parliament of Catalonia.[13]

The alliance was maintained for the April and November 2019 Spanish general elections,[14][15][16] as well as for the European Parliament and local elections held on 26 May 2019.[17] The alliance's trademark is currently the subject of a political dispute between the PDeCAT and Puigdemont,[18] the latter having used it as the foundation for a new party using the label.

History[edit]

"Together for Catalonia" was registered as a trademark by Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) in July 2016,[19] being one of the names proposed to party members in the founding congress of the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) and after conflicting issues with the registering of the initially chose label, "Catalan Democratic Party"; it was finally as the party was able to be registered as "Catalan European Democratic Party".[20][21]

Following the declaration of Catalan independence by the Parliament of Catalonia in October 2017 and the subsequent activation of Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dissolved the Catalan parliament and called a regional election for 21 December 2017. Catalan president Carles Puigdemont self-exiled in Belgium to avoid detention and several ministers of the Executive Council of Catalonia were put in pre-trial detention accused of sedition and rebellion. In this context, several PDeCAT leaders—Artur Mas, Marta Pascal and David Bonvehí—met with Puigdemont in Brussels after him having expressed interest in leading the party into the election,[22] with him ultimately agreeing to run in the upcoming election on the condition that his list transcend the PDeCAT himself, instead proposing a list formed by pro-independence parties for the right of self-determination, against the use of Article 155 and in favour of "amnesty for political prisoners".[23][24] It was eventually agreed that Puigdemont would run under the "Together for Catalonia" umbrella,[25] structured as his personal list and including non-party members and figures from civil society such as ANC chairman Jordi Sànchez and future Catalan president Quim Torra.[26][27] whereas the PDeCAT would provide the core of the platform and the party's organizational structure.[28][29][30] This came after both Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) rejected a new Junts pel Sí coalition.[31] The list emerged as the largest political force within the pro-independence camp, narrowly outperforming ERC despite earlier unfavourable opinion polls,[32] prompting Puigdemont's influence within the post-CDC space to increase, eventually leading to a rift between the PDeCAT and Puigdemont's sphere, which in July 2018 materialized into a new political platform, the National Call for the Republic (CNxR),[33] which was then transmuted into a political party in January 2019.[34][35]

Together for Catalonia would be renewed as an electoral alliance between the PDeCAT and the late CDC ahead of the April 2019 Spanish general election and the May 2019 European Parliament and local elections;[14][17] running in 772 Catalan municipalities.[36][37] It would count with the involvement of figures from the CNxR,[15][16] who would run as independent members after the party rejected either to run on its own or explicitly give support to any candidacy in these elections.[38][39] For the November 2019 general election, the formula of including CDC in the ballot as a trick to ensure public funding was not repeated, as the PDeCAT could now count on such funding itself as a result of it having contested the April election.[14] The alliance's performance in the various elections was mixed. It was able to hold its ground and maintain previous results in the general elections, but was clearly outperformed by ERC.[40][41] In the 26 May elections, ERC secured victory in the local elections whereas JxCat capitalized on Puigdemont's candidacy to the European Parliament to score a win in Catalonia.[42]

Throughout 2019, both the PDeCAT and Puigdemont would maintain discussions over the future of the post-CDC political space and of Together for Catalonia.[43] Following the November 2019 general election, negotiations ensued about the possible dissolution of both the CNxR and the PDeCAT into JxCat,[44][45] but the latter refused to either disband its party structure or renounce to its ownership of the JxCat's trademark,[46] and on 26 June the party's executive rejected Puigdemont's attempts to absorb the party.[47] The next day, a manifesto was publicly launched by JxCat independents and elected members—including deputies, mayors and local councillors, and unveiled by interior regional minister Miquel Buch—in which all subscribers urged for the re-organization of the Together for Catalonia political space into a full-fledged party and the PDeCAT's dissolution into it,[48][49] a proposal which was supported by members of the CNxR and Action for the Republic (AxR) as well.[50] PDeCAT members replied with another manifesto vindicating the party's identity and legacy,[51] showing their unwillingness to disappear as an organization and criticizing what they perceived as "one thinking" from Puigdemont's supporters.[52][53]

With negotiations foundering, Puigdemont announced on 2 July 2020 that he was to break up all ties with the PDeCAT and establish a new political party by merging the CNxR, AxR and PDeCAT's splinter elements.[54][55] A legal and political struggle ensued, as both the PDeCAT under David Bonheví and Puigdemont vied for the control of the "Together for Catalonia" trademark.[18][56] On 10 July, Puigdemont's supporters took over the label, modifying JxCat's data in the interior ministry register by appointing aligned PDeCAT member Carles Valls Arnó as its leader, while proclaiming that the name would be used for their upcoming party.[57] The PDeCAT dubbed this as an illegal act and announced that it would bring the issue to the courts if necessary, as the party still regarded the JxCat's trademark as theirs.[58][59] As the change did not affect the electoral coalition, which legally comprised the PDeCAT and CDC, an awkward situation could develop if both "Together for Catalonia" (Puigdemont's party) and "Together for Catalonia" (the PDeCAT's coalition) chose to confront each other in any future election under such labels.[60]

Composition[edit]

Party Notes
Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT)
Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC)[a]
The Greens–Green Alternative (EV–AV) Informally,[b] left in July 2020.
Independence Rally (RI.cat) Informally,[b] left in July 2020.[67]
National Call for the Republic (CNxR) Informally since July 2018,[b] left in July 2020.[68]
Action for the Republic (AxR) Formed in November 2019, left in July 2020.[69]

Electoral performance[edit]

Parliament of Catalonia[edit]

Parliament of Catalonia
Election Votes % # Seats +/– Leading candidate Status in legislature
2017 948,233 21.66% 2nd
34 / 135
 3[c] Carles Puigdemont[d] Coalition (JxCat–ERC)

Cortes Generales[edit]

Nationwide[edit]

Cortes Generales
Election Congress Senate Leading candidate Status in legislature
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
2019 (Apr) 500,787 1.91% 7th
7 / 350
 1[e]
2 / 208
 0[e] Jordi Sànchez[f] New election
2019 (Nov) 530,225 2.19% 8th
8 / 350
 1
3 / 208
 1 Laura Borràs Opposition

Regional breakdown[edit]

Election Catalonia
Congress Senate
Votes % # Seats +/– Votes % Seats +/–
2019 (Apr) 500,787 12.08% 4th
7 / 48
 1[e] Candidates 1
Candidates 2
Candidates 3 		672,309
472,596
382,883 		16.62%
11.68%
9.47%
2 / 16
 0[e]
2019 (Nov) 530,225 13.68% 4th
8 / 48
 1 Candidates 1
Candidates 2
Candidates 3 		669,561
550,936
468,985 		16.55%
13.62%
11.59%
3 / 16
 1

European Parliament[edit]

Nationwide[edit]

European Parliament
Election Votes % # Seats +/– Leading candidate
2019 1,018,435 4.54% 7th
3 / 59
 1 Carles Puigdemont[d]

Catalonia[edit]

European Parliament
Election Catalonia
Votes % #
2019 981,357 28.63% 1st

Symbols[edit]

  • Main logo.
    Main logo.
  • Alternative logo.
    Alternative logo.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ CDC was registered as an independent member within the alliance in order to allow its successor party, the PDeCAT, to be guaranteed CDC's public funding and electoral rights for election campaigns.[61][62] This practice was discontinued ahead of the general election repetition in November 2019.[14]
  2. ^ a b c Not directly involved; many of its members integrate the alliance's lists as independents.[63][64][65][66]
  3. ^ Compared to Democratic Convergence of Catalonia totals (within Junts pel Sí) in the 2015 regional election.
  4. ^ a b At the time of the election, Puigdemont was in self-exile in Belgium.
  5. ^ a b c d Compared to Democratic Convergence of Catalonia totals in the 2016 general election.
  6. ^ At the time of the election, Sànchez was in preventive detention in Soto del Real (Madrid).

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Avís legal". juntspercatalunya.cat (in Catalan). Together for Catalonia. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Catalonia/Spain". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Juntspercatalunya.cat".
  4. ^ Nel·lo, Oriol; Gomà, Aina (15 December 2018). "Geographies of discontent: urban segregation, political attitudes and electoral behaviour in Catalonia". City, Territory and Architecture. 5 (1). doi:10.1186/s40410-018-0099-z. ISSN 2195-2701.
  5. ^ Johannes, Venetia (4 November 2019). Nourishing the Nation: Food as National Identity in Catalonia. Berghahn Books. p. 17. ISBN 9781789204384.
  6. ^ Baquero, Camilo Sixto (9 January 2020). "PM, Catalan premier announces snap election amid dispute over role as deputy". El País. Barcelona. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  7. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (15 May 2020). Parties and Elections in Europe: Parliamentary Elections and Governments Since 1945, European Parliament Elections, Political Orientation and History of Parties. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 560. ISBN 978-3-7504-8134-3.
  8. ^ "Registro de Partidos Políticos". sede.mir.gob.es (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Junts per Catalunya, la llista del PDECat que liderarà Puigdemont". VilaWeb (in Catalan). 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Puigdemont encabezará una lista el 21-D bajo el nombre de 'Junts per Catalunya'". El Mundo (in Spanish). Barcelona. Agencias. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Junts per la República se transforma en el partido Acció per la República". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  12. ^ Pardo Torregrosa, Iñaki (30 November 2019). "Acció per la República inicia su proceso fundacional". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  13. ^ Quitian, Sergi (17 February 2020). "Acció per la República pide abrir la participación de JxCat a todos sus actores". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d "El PDeCAT se quedará todas las subvenciones electorales que obtenga la coalición Junts" (in Spanish). Madrid: Europa Press. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  15. ^ a b González, Germán (9 March 2019). "La Crida avala que Jordi Sànchez se presente con Junts Per Catalunya en las elecciones generales". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Sànchez lidera la lista de JxCat por Barcelona al Congreso con Borràs, Nogueras y Tremosa" (in Spanish). Barcelona: Europa Press. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Carles Puigdemont encabezará la lista de JxCat a las elecciones europeas". eldiario.es (in Spanish). 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  18. ^ a b Gisbert, Josep (9 July 2020). "La pugna por el control de JxCat abre un nuevo frente con Puigdemont". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Josep. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  19. ^ "Marca nacional M3624313(2) - JUNTS PER CATALUNYA". www.oepm.es (in Spanish). Spanish Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  20. ^ Barrena, Xabi (8 July 2016). "Los tres finalistas para la nueva CDC: 'Junts per Catalunya', 'Partit Demòcrata Català' y 'Partit Nacional Català'". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  21. ^ "El PDC encalla también con el nuevo nombre propuesto". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 20 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  22. ^ "Puigdemont: "Estoy dispuesto a ser candidato; incluso desde el extranjero"". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  23. ^ Puente, Arturo (3 November 2017). "El PDeCAT apuesta por una lista conjunta contra el 155 y por la amnistía". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  24. ^ Baquero, Camilo Sixto (5 November 2017). "Carles Puigdemont será el candidato del PDeCAT en las elecciones del 21-D". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  25. ^ "Puigdemont to head 'Together for Catalonia'". Barcelona: Catalan News. ACN. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
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  27. ^ "Junts per Catalunya, la llista del PDECat que liderarà Puigdemont" (in Catalan). VilaWeb. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  28. ^ Lamelas, Marcos (12 November 2017). "Junts per Catalunya, la marca con la que Puigdemont quiere plantar cara a ERC". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  29. ^ García Pagán, Isabel (13 November 2017). "La lista de Puigdemont será Junts per Catalunya". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  30. ^ "La lista de Puigdemont se llamará Junts per Catalunya". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  31. ^ Cardero, Nacho (12 November 2017). "Puigdemont ofrece a Rovira la 'lista país' y renuncia a las siglas "corruptas" de PDeCAT". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  32. ^ Dowsett, Sonya; Aguado, Jesús (22 December 2017). "Spain's crisis re-ignited as Catalan separatists win vote". Reuters. Barcelona/Madrid. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  33. ^ Masreal, Fidel (16 July 2018). "Puigdemont impulsa la Crida Nacional para superar instrumentos "caducos"". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  34. ^ "La Crida de Puigdemont ya es un partido político". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Europa Press. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  35. ^ "La Crida abre inscripciones para el congreso fundacional del 26 de enero". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Agencias. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  36. ^ Piñol, Ángels (26 May 2018). "El PDeCAT se presentará como Junts per Catalunya a las municipales por la presión de Puigdemont". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  37. ^ Catà, Josep; Faus, Joan (26 April 2019). "ERC supera a JxCat en las candidaturas a las municipales". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  38. ^ "La Crida de Puigdemont descarta presentarse a las elecciones generales". Crónica Global (in Spanish). 6 March 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  39. ^ "La Crida no pedirá el voto para ninguna lista del 28-A". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. ACN. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  40. ^ Catà, Josep (28 April 2019). "Junts per Catalunya salva los muebles pero no evita perder la hegemonía". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  41. ^ Masreal, Fidel (10 November 2019). "El soberanismo radical permite a Junts per Catalunya recuperar peso en Madrid". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  42. ^ Navarro, Raquel; Gálvez, Beatriz; Carpio, Jose A. (29 May 2019). "Los catalanes prefieren a ERC en las locales y a JxCat en las europeas" (in Spanish). RTVE. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  43. ^ Masreal, Fidel (16 June 2019). "El PDECat tratará de evitar la escisión subsumiéndose en JxCat". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  44. ^ "Bonvehí y Sànchez ya negocian el encaje entre el PDeCAT y la Crida". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. ACN. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  45. ^ "El PDeCAT y la Crida retoman las negociaciones para reordenar el espacio de JxCat". Europa Press (in Spanish). Barcelona. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  46. ^ "El PDECat acepta cambiar de nombre pero sin disolverse en JxCat". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 13 December 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  47. ^ Cañizares, María Jesús (26 June 2020). "El PDECat rechaza ser absorbido por Puigdemont". Crónica Global (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  48. ^ Manchón, Manel (27 June 2020). "Puigdemont llama al orden con un manifiesto contra el PDECat". Crónica Global (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  49. ^ Bou, Lluís (28 June 2020). "El manifiesto que urge a crear JxCAT como partido supera 1.200 adheridos en 24 h". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  50. ^ Forment i Bori, Cèlia (1 July 2020). "Acció per la República reivindica el liderazgo de Puigdemont en JxCat". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  51. ^ Quitian, Sergi; Gisbert, Josep (30 June 2020). "El PDECat se vindica como JxCat en pleno tira y afloja con Puigdemont". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  52. ^ Masreal, Fidel (29 June 2020). "Cargos electos del PDECat cargan contra el "pensamiento único" de los afines a Puigdemont". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  53. ^ "Un manifiesto afín a la dirección del PDECat reclama que el partido no deje de existir ni se diluya dentro de JxCat". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. ACN. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  54. ^ Masreal, Fidel; García Sastre, Daniel (2 July 2020). "Puigdemont anuncia la creación de un partido al margen del PDECat". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  55. ^ Gisbert, Josep (9 July 2020). "Réquiem por el PDECat". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  56. ^ Masreal, Fidel (8 July 2020). "Puigdemont maniobra para arrebatarle al PDECat la marca JxCat". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  57. ^ González, David (10 July 2020). "Puigdemont se hace con el control de Junts per Catalunya con un presidente afín". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  58. ^ Masreal, Fidel (10 July 2020). "Puigdemont arrebata al PDECat la marca Junts per Catalunya". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  59. ^ "Puigdemont y el PDeCAT se encaminan a un pulso legal por la marca de JxCat". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  60. ^ Gisbert, Josep (10 July 2020). "Puigdemont arrebata la marca JxCat a la dirección del PDECat". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  61. ^ "C3. Coalición electoral "Junts per Catalunya"". www.juntaelectoralcentral.es (in Spanish). Central Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  62. ^ Lamelas, Marcos (24 November 2017). "El PDeCAT va el 21-D en coalición consigo mismo para cobrar las subvenciones de CDC". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  63. ^ Borràs, Xavier (19 November 2017). "Tres històrics de l'ecologisme a la candidatura de Junts per Catalunya". Nació Digital (in Catalan). Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  64. ^ "El PDECat se inclina por fichajes cercanos a la Crida sin forjar una coalición". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 26 February 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  65. ^ "La Crida descarta ir a las generales pero avala que sus miembros estén en la lista de JxCat-PDECat". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 6 March 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  66. ^ "El President de Reagrupament, Josep Sort, a la llista de Junts Per Catalunya". www.reagrupament.cat (in Catalan). Reagrupament. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  67. ^ "Reagrupament se desliga del PDeCAT y apoya el nuevo partido de Puigdemont". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  68. ^ "La Crida aprueba convertirse en fundación del partido de Puigdemont". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  69. ^ "Junts per Catalunya, el partit". www.acciorepublica.cat (in Catalan). Action for the Republic. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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