Junts attack Catalan Socialists' leader's role in post-election talks

The leader of the Socialists in Catalonia, Salvador Illa, has said that he is not looking for prominence in the negotiations to reelect Pedro Sánchez as Spanish prime minister after pro-independence Junts per Catalunya accused him of seeking the limelight. 

Following a meeting with Sánchez on Wednesday, Illa said that the Spanish Socialists' negotiations would be in agreement with their Catalan counterparts. He also emphasized the "weight" of the Catalan Socialists, highlighting their landslide win in Catalonia in July's general election.  

"It doesn't matter to me if I am there or not" in the negotiations, Illa said in an interview with Catalunya Ràdio. 

Illa is not part of the Socialists' negotiating team working to persuade parties including pro-independence Junts per Catalunya and Esquerra Republicana to enable Sánchez's reelection. 

Nevertheless, the Socialists have said that "for issues related to Catalonia," Sánchez "will be in permanent coordination" with Illa.  

Illa, a former Spanish health minister, described his meeting with Sánchez as "very useful." "I left happy and hopeful," he added. 

The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) is a separate entity to the Spanish Socialists (PSOE) but they maintain extremely close links and form part of the same parliamentary group in the Spanish Congress. 

Junts criticism 

Various members of Junts have been very critical of Illa's role in the post-election talks. 

"Giving prominence to the person who deceived Junts the day before the pact of shame in Barcelona to prevent Xavier Trias from becoming mayor is a very strange way of showing us that they are trustworthy," Junts general secretary, Jordi Turull, said on Thursday. 

Party founder and former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont echoed those thoughts, saying Illa could "never be a valid interlocutor to generate trust." 

Puigdemont is the head of Junts' negotiating team and has found himself in the position of kingmaker after July's inconclusive Spanish election. 

Negotiations are stepping up after the Spanish king proposed on Tuesday that Sánchez put himself forward in Congress for an investiture debate.