ERC party head calls for “effective” formula to make Puigdemont president

The head of the Esquerra Republicana (ERC) party in the Catalan Parliament, Marta Rovira, on Thursday urged Together for Catalonia (JxCat) to put forward a “formula for the effective swearing in of Carles Puigdemont.” In an interview with the Catalan News Agency (ACN), Rovira, who is also the ERC secretary general, said her party was “waiting on” Puigdemont’s ticket to explain “in detail” how their candidate intends to take office as president and form a working government.

Rovira has become the visible face of ERC since the party president, Oriol Junqueras, was imprisoned preemptively for his part in Catalonia’s bid for independence. On Thursday, Rovira urged the other pro-independence parties “not to waste time” and to quickly come to an agreement on “a solid strategy” for forming a government. Since the Parliament president postponed the session to swear in Puigdemont, Rovira said the pro-independence parties are “working intensely” to schedule a new investiture session.

Delayed for a decision

The pro-independence bloc is facing Madrid’s opposition to swear in Carles Puigdemont as leader although the majority of the Parliament has agreed to do so. Carles Puigdemont remains in Brussels, Belgium, where he has been since shortly after his government declared independence in October of last year. If he sets foot back on Spanish soil, he faces arrest, which leaves him in a unique situation for a president-elect. Meanwhile, the Spanish Constitutional Court has been deliberating on the legality of his bid, and the plenary session to swear him in has been delayed, waiting for the judge's decision. 

JxCat urges Rovira to avoid "unnecessary public debates" 

Puigdemont's party JxCat did not waste time in issuing a response. For their part, they urged ERC to work with "rigor" and "without unnecessary public debates." "We agree about not wanting to delay the investiture," JxCat further noted, referring to Rovira's call "not to waste time." "We wanted (the investiture) on Tuesday," Puigdemont's party stated, adding that they "hope the Parliament president won't delay it." What's more, the pro-independence party responded by urging "unity of action and working together."