In an emotional atmosphere, and preceded by loud applause from her team, leading Catalan political figure from the Junts party Elsa Artadi has appeared before the media to confirm that, as ElNacional.cat reported on Thursday night, she is resigning from her candidature for the Barcelona municipal elections of May 2023, to confirm that her decision is motivated by personal reasons and that furthermore, she is also leaving active politics altogether. In the company of the other city councillors from the Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) municipal group on the Barcelona city council and in the presence of the speaker of parliament, Laura Borràs, Artadi was clear and concise: "I am leaving active politics".
"We can all reach a point where we can say 'enough, I can't continue,' and that time has come for me now," said Artadi, adding that she is not only resigning from the municipal election race but also leaving her posts on the Barcelona city council and at the Parliament of Catalonia, as well as on the governing organs of Junts. "This is a strictly personal and very carefully considered decision," she added in a statement that ended without questions, and thus left open all questions about who will be head of the Junts list in the municipal elections, a year away.
Despite the surprise of the announcement - given that as recently as Wednesday evening, Artadi featured in a party event on law and order in the Catalan capital at which nothing suggested that she would give up the election race 24 hours later - the politician who was, until today, president of the municipal group of Junts on the Barcelona city council was convinced of her decision, despite the emotional intensity of the moment, and emphasised that it was not connected to any other aspect than the strictly personal: "This is not a political decision nor a decision linked to the current political situation, but a personal decision that I have to make because I am not in a position to serve my country and my city with the same energy and intensity as I have done so far”.
Without specifying the personal circumstances that led her to resign, she noted that, in any case, "it is the correct and honest decision" and stated that "Barcelona, the country, the citizens, and also my party, deserve that those of us who are on the political front line are present there with all our energy and dedication." She also reaffirmed her loyalty to the pro-independence project and the need for political change in Barcelona, and also to "president Puigdemont and his illegally deposed government." After reading her departing statement and without taking questions, Artadi left, giving a warm embrace to Laura Borràs, to the applause, once again, of her entire team.
Elsa Artadi's farewell statement
The Junts politician's goodbye speech closely followed the text of her statement, translated in full below.
“Dear friends,
I would like to announce that today I am leaving active politics, both in the Parliament of Catalonia and on the Barcelona city council, as well as in the governing bodies of Junts per Catalunya. It is a strictly personal and very carefully considered decision.
I have spent the last 11 years of my life serving the people of my country through politics. These have been difficult and intense years: I started working at the time of the financial crisis, I experienced the 9-N consultation and the October 1st referendum; the repression, imprisonment and exile of my comrades; and the management of the Covid pandemic.
I have, humbly and honourably, served three presidents of my country, to whom I would like to publicly thank for their confidence.
I have worked with excellent teams whom I want to thank for their good work, tireless dedication and sacrifices. Things that are not seen, but are there.
I would also like to thank especially my colleagues in Junts for Barcelona, who are working ceaselessly to achieve change in the capital of Catalonia, for their work, effort and help at all times. They are the engine of change and I am proud to have shared the last three years with them.
I’ve always worked with the utmost dedication and commitment in each of my responsibilities, but I no longer feel I have the strength to continue.
I want to emphasize that this is not a political decision or a decision linked to the current political situation, but it is a personal decision that I have to make because I am not in a position to serve my country and my city with the same energy and intensity as I have done so far.
We can all have a point when we can say "enough, I can't continue", and that moment has come for me. I’m sorry, but it’s the correct and honest decision.
Barcelona, the country, the citizens, and also my party, deserve that those of us who are on the political front line are present there with all our energy and dedication.
And, with the same honesty that I have always worked for, now is the time to give way to those who have the ability to continue to lead; people of great value and with the energy to do so.
- My loyalty to the pro-independence project as the only way to have a better country remains intact.
- My loyalty to the need for political change in Barcelona remains intact.
- My loyalty to president Puigdemont and his illegally-deposed government remains intact.
- My loyalty to the people who have trusted me all these years (from the institutions and from civil society) is also intact.
All of them will always have me by their side in any way that I can help them. Thank you all".