Jordi Turull, secretary general of Junts, explained that there are already in "honest" talks with Esquerra Republicana (ERC) to reach an agreement to invest Carles Puigdemont before August 25th. In the event of an agreement between the Catalan pro-independence forces, an abstention from the Catalan Socialists (PSC) wpuld still be needed. Turull warned that Salvador Illa, the Socialist candidate, will be who decides whether to go for a repeat election or not. In an interview on Catalunya Ràdio on Tuesday, the former Catalan minister hoped that, at the very least, his party, ERC and CUP will have "more complicity than constant reproaches" in the event of a repeat election. However, the secretary general of Junts said that to speak now of a united list of pro-independence supporters is to "put the cart before the horse". In any case, it is after the talks with ERC, which will take place over the next two months, that the "levels of complicity" that may or may not exist will be established.
"Junts does not want a repeat election and does not want Illa to be the Catalan president. The decision on whether to go to new elections, and whether there is a blockage if we reach an agreement with ERC will be up to Salvador Illa", insisted the secretary general of Junts, who added that his candidate, Carles Puigdemont, is capable of achieving a larger majority than the Socialist candidate. For Puigdemont to be elected president in the second round by a simple majority, Junts per Catalunya must ERC's and the CUP's support and the abstention of the PSC's 42 deputies.
Links between funding and general state budgets
On the proposal of a unique financing for Catalonia, a condition set by ERC to support Illa, Turull was in favour of linking this clause to the negotiation of the Spanish General State Budget. He warned the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, that if Illa is elected as Catalan president thanks to the votes of the Comuns and the People's Party (PP), as happened when Jaume Collboni was elected mayor of Barcelona, the legislature will be "over".
Last Thursday, the president of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, pointed out that the candidates of Junts, Carles Puigdemont's, and the PSC, Salvador Illa's bids to take office have the same chances of succeeding. "I want to be respectful of the different proposals that may be put forward. The two candidates have expressed a willingness to explore and build majorities, and to put their candidature before the MPs in an investiture debate," said Rull from Brussels, after meeting with Puigdemont in Waterloo. Rull said that Puigdemont confirmed his intention to submit his bid to take office "during these two months" and hoped that Puigdemont could attend the possible investiture debate as a "free citizen".