Political parties face 2 decisive countdown weeks

Barcelona.-  (ACN). The official campaign for the Catalan elections began last night. Main Catalan parties had their campaign opening meetings on Thursday night, as at midnight the campaign was starting. The final countdown began: 15 intense days to the elections, which will be held on Sunday the 28^th of November. 114 political forces present candidates to the Catalan Parliament, but only 6 or 7 are likely to get seats.

CiU

Hundreds of Catalan flags cheered on the candidate for the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition, Convergència i Unió, Artur Mas. After 7 years leading the opposition, all the polls point to the party as the clear winner, just below the absolute majority. Last night, in front of 1,800 people and historic leaders, Artur Mas stuck a virtual poster. Mas stated “These elections are between the present we now have, and the future we want as Catalans… between the present we now have, and the future we want as Catalans. And with our victory, Convergència i Unió’s victory, we use to better Catalonia! Thanks! And let’s go!”

PSC

During the same time, the candidate for the Catalan Socialist Party and current President of the Government, José Montilla, met with party members in Barcelona. Montilla faces this campaign with adverse polls, knowing that he must mobilise his unmotivated electors. He said “These elections are very important. They are very very very important. In these elections we are deciding on our future . Our future, but also our children’s future… the future of our children and grandchildren.”

ERC

Polls indicate that the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party Esquerra Republicana will likely lose some seats, putting the party out of the government. They are fighting to continue their position as the 3^rd main party, but the Conservative People’s Party may take over. Joan Puigcercós, Esquerra’s candidate, fears the new Catalan independence parties that are running. Puigcercós affirmed “Either Esquerra Republicana or the People’s Party. Let’s notice it’s clear. We need to think about what we want. Let’s think a moment and let’s all reconsider things. Thinking pays over.  We are a brave option…an option that wants this country to be freer, that has worked hard from the Government and various Town Halls of this country and territory to create a more equilibrated country.”

PPC

The Conservative People’s Party of Catalonia (PPC) is accepting the challenge. Mariano Rajoy, the President of the Party at the Spanish level, is helping the Catalan candidate Alicia Sanchez Camacho stuck her campaign poster with a virtual brush. From Barcelona, Camacho asked for votes to stop Catalan separatists from entering the Government. She said “I want to tell everyone that these weeks are clear and decisive. I want to tell everyone that the only party that can stop a third 3-party coalition government led by the Socialists is the People’s Party of Catalonia. And the only party that can stop Artur Mas’ separatism or a 3-party separatist coalition is the People’s Party of Catalonia.”

ICV-EUiA

The Catalan Green Socialist Coalition, Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds-Esquerra Unida I Alternative (ICV-EUiA) chose Lleida to start its campaign. In the last elections, they managed to get the 1^st seat, a historic move in the province. Its candidate, Joan Herrera, wants to repeat this, and is campaigning to stop cutting of social expenditure. He claimed “the crisis has a social and solidarity-based exit, but this social and solidarity-based exit needs to come from policies; policies that clearly are left-wing. And these left-wing policies only depend on one thing: that left-wing people do not stay at home… that left-wing people go to vote.

C’s

Finally, the Anti-Catalan Nationalism and Populist Party Ciutadans, which was the surprise last election, getting 3 seats and entering into the Parliament, were the only ones to manually stick the campaign poster. Their candidate, Albert Rivera, is confident that he will continue to have a presence in the Parliament. He stated “Ciutadans, with a lot of possibilities, will continue being the surprise of these elections. We are convinced we were the surprise and we will again be the surprise in positive terms as we will grow much more than expected by many citizens, fortunately for Catalonia and for all Catalonia’s citizens.”