Government deal can be reached ‘in the coming days,’ JxCat say

The general secretary of Junts per Catalunya, Jordi Sànchez, is confident that "in the coming days" an agreement can be reached with Esquerra Republicana to form a new government in Catalonia. 

The leader, who is currently serving a prison sentence for his role in the 2017 independence push, says the talks are progressing "satisfactorily." 

Catalonia has been without a president since Quim Torra was ousted from office in September 2020, and elections were held in February 2021 which saw the pro-independence bloc expand their majority in the Catalan parliament. 

In those elections, ERC came out with more seats than any other party, level with the Socialists, and in prime position to form a government with their candidate Pere Araongès as president. 

However, talks have stalled since then and ERC’s candidate Aragonès was blocked from being named the head of government twice in March, due to abstentions from Junts per Catalunya. 

Many discrepancies have come up between the two parties currently in government since the last elections in 2017, during both the last term as well as the talks to form the next administration. Lawmakers currently have a deadline of May 26 to name a new president, or else Catalans will be headed to the polls once more. 

In a press conference from the party headquarters and with Jordi Sànchez taking advantage of a prison permit to attend, he assured that trust between the two parties is "greater than three months ago." 

As for the details of the agreement, he said that "much progress has been made" and the agreement is about to be finalized with “90%” already agreed. 

The last final details to be decided on include the wording of the coordination in Madrid and the strategic direction of the pro-independence administration. 

ERC prefer to pursue a path toward Catalan independence based on dialogue with Spain, whereas Junts prefer a more “confrontational” approach.

Esquerra–CUP agreement

Esquerra has so far only been able to garner the support of CUP's nine seats after an agreement.

The deal with the far-left pro-independence party includes engaging in talks with the Spanish government over the independence issue and attempting to agree on a self-determination referendum – but that in 2023 the Catalan administration will reconsider whether it is worth continuing such negotiations with Madrid.

Also in 2023, when Aragonès' mandate reaches the halfway point, a vote of confidence on the government will take place in parliament, according to the same paper.