The first secretary of the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and winner of last Sunday's parliamentary elections in Catalonia, Salvador Illa, has sent a letter to the membership of his party to thank them for their "involvement and commitment" during the election campaign, which ended with an historic first-time victory for the Socialists in both votes and seats. In the letter, Illa takes stock of the result obtained on May 12th - more than 870,000 votes, almost 28% of the total and 42 MPs - and emphasizes that this fact "makes it possible to open a new stage and once again construct a Catalonia that inspires, a Catalonia that must once again be synonymous with stability, dialogue and progress". At the same time, the PSC leader advocates for "a Catalonia in which good government and economic and social progress will be the fuel of the industrial, social and civic engine that historically this country has always represented". "A Catalonia, the one that gets to work, without factions or blocs", he states, one that is "for all Catalans, wherever they come from, whatever they think, and whatever language they speak".
With the results, from which Salvador Illa also details that his party was the winner in 170 municipalities in Catalonia, the towns where 71.4% of all voters live, the Socialist leader considers that a "great first step" has been taken so that "Catalonia will once again be a reference for the rest of Spain, Europe and the world." Already in this context, the PSC leader takes the opportunity to mention the European elections of June 9th, at which, he says, his party will stand up for "the role that Catalonia can and must play in the construction of this progressive, fair, diverse Europe, green, digital and feminist, recovering prestige and international influence".
Pedro Sánchez's policies, "recognized" by the electoral victory
If anyone has had a starring role throughout the PSC campaign, it has been Pedro Sánchez, constantly praised for what he has done for Catalonia. In the letter, Salvador Illa does not leave him out: "I don't want to stop saying it. The victory at the polls is also, among other multiple factors, a recognition of the policies of the Spanish government and the firm commitment of the its president, Pedro Sánchez, for dialogue and coexistence. As first secretary of the PSC, I want to deeply thank the complicity of all of Spanish Socialism with Catalonia and its citizens." As well, to work towards this new victory, the PSC will organize a political event this Saturday at the Palau de Congressos in Barcelona to be attended by Salvador llla, Pedro Sánchez and Teresa Ribera, PSOE list leader for the European Parliament elections. "The best Catalonia is yet to come," says Illa at the end of the letter.
Meanwhile, the PSC negotiating team - made up of Lluïsa Moret, Alícia Romero, Ferran Pedret, José Luis Gimeno, Joaquín Fernández and Javier Villamayor - has begun initial contacts with the other political parties, in order to start talks on the configuration of the Bureau of Parliament, which must be constituted by June 10th at the latest, and to test the water on possible support for the investiture of Salvador Illa. The only parties that will not be part of these meetings, the Socialists insist, are Vox and the Catalan Alliance (AC).