Catalonia braces for election delay as parties inch closer to deal

Political parties in the Catalan parliament seemed set for an agreement on Friday morning that would delay the upcoming February 14 election over coronavirus concerns. 

An all-party meeting began at noon in order to make a final decision on the vote. The Catalan government, in charge of organizing it, proposed during the summit postponing them until May or June.

Only a few weeks ago, the election postponement seemed highly unlikely, especially one following an agreement across party lines, but a third wave of Covid-19 infections and rising hospitalizations triggered the alarm—last Monday, Catalonia reported 6,981 new cases, the highest daily increase since the pandemic started.

Even the Socialist party, soaring in polls and initially reluctant to a vote delay, was reportedly reconsidering its position and seemed likely to support the moving of the vote, finding a new date ahead of an all-parties meeting on Friday at midday.

However, while the Catalan branch of the Socialists would now look favourably on an election delay, their counterparts at the helm of the Spanish government are reportedly considering to challenge the decision in court.

Catalonia’s interim president Pere Aragonès has called an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Friday at 5 pm, when ministers are expected to discuss the legal mechanisms that allow suspending the vote and finding a new date.