Oriol Junqueras to 'temporary step down' as Esquerra president after EU elections

The president of pro-independence Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya party, Oriol Junqueras, and former vice president during the 2017 independence referendum will temporary step down as leader of the political group after the European Parliament elections on June 9, as announced by the party on Wednesday at 10:45 pm.

The former MEP between 2009 and 2011 will start a “reflection process and active listening before deciding his future,” the text shared by Esquerra reads.

The party will organize an extraordinary summit on November 30 to “set the new strategy of the political group and to find the best way to recover the trust from citizens after the Catalan election results on May 12,” the statement reads.

The meeting, which still has no location confirmer, will be a way to “think on the party’s but also on Catalonia’s future.”

Esquerra made the announcement after a meeting of around 4:30 h on Wednesday, where Junqueras wanted to continue leading the role, while secretary general Marta Rovira, who is in Geneva, Switzerland, wanted for a transition to leave the party’s board in favor of new faces.

In the meeting, there were Junqueras, sitting Catalan president Pere Aragonès, who also announced he would step down as MP after Sunday’s election results, sitting Catalan vice president Laura Vilagrà, some cabinet ministers, and members of the party’s board of decision.

Minutes after the party announced Junqueras’ decision, Marta Rovira published a written statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing her decision to “not repeat as secretary general candidate during the upcoming party summit,” she wrote.

One of the reasons she expresses is that she has been in the role for over 12 years and thinks it is time for a change “for democratic reasons.”

Rovira left Spain due to her judicial case regarding the 2017 independence referendum involvement and has been living in Switzerland for over six years. She is now under investigation for terrorism charges due to the Tsunami Democràtic protest group.

”Now it is time for new faces to take on the opportunity,” she adds in reference to her role in the self-determination vote and after a “great victory” such as the amnesty law which will apply to pro-independence figures once it comes into force. The bill has now returned to the Spanish Congress after a veto in the Senate, ahead of final approval.

”Esquerra Republicana needs to update its political strategy to be able to innovate, strengthen and set a new challenge once again in the independence path and Catalonia’s social progress,” the text concludes with.

Junqueras’ will

On Tuesday, Oriol Junqueras sent a letter to the party members opening the door for him to continue leading the force, after Aragonès’ decision to step down and leave frontline politics.

Junqueras considered that he was ready to continue working for Catalonia “from the position that the party members want,” he wrote in reference to the possibility for members to vote on the future position in a party summit.

However, on Wednesday, Junqueras accepted “stepping down temporarily” after June 9 election in the European Parliament.

During the meeting, the strategy promoted by the secretary general prevailed. Junqueras wanted for the summit to take place on July 25, while it will be on November 30, as Rovira preferred. Those who are more connected with the secretary general also wanted for Junqueras to step down, something which they accomplished somehow with his decision.