Catalan president Pere Aragonès to lead ERC's next election ticket

President Pere Aragonès will lead Esquerra Republicana's ticket in the next Catalan election.

The decision will be formalized by the party at the national council this Saturday.

The proposal is also endorsed by the party president, Oriol Junqueras, and the general secretary, Marta Rovira, therefore ending speculation of a potential return to frontline politics for Junqueras. 

Junqueras was previously the Catalan vice president in Carles Puigdemont's executive, and was jailed for three years for his role in the 2017 independence referendum, before being pardoned. 

Ahead of the expected amnesty for pro-independence figures, questions were raised that Junqueras could potentially return to an election ticket, with the next Catalan election expected by February 2025.  

Sources consulted by the Catalan News Agency add that among the party, there are certain doubts about whether the amnesty will already be ratified and in force by next year. Without it in force, Junqueras would not be able to stand in elections, as part of his sentence for sedition included a disqualification from holding public office. 

Esquerra say they already have "a great candidate" in Aragonès to lead them into the next vote, who has shown great "management" capacity leading the executive and having "reactivated" the negotiation process with Spain.

The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for February 2025, but the legislature could be shortened if the 2024 budgets are passed, party sources admit.