'Super 2019' – Socialist leader foresees big political battles next year

The leader of the Socialist party in Catalonia (PSC), Miquel Iceta, said on Saturday that next year will see "big political battles."

There are already two elections called for 2019: local and European ones. But according to Iceta, Catalan and Spanish elections could be called as well.

The Spanish government, led by the Socialists, has a fragile minority and depends of pro-independence parties and far-left Podemos to survive. One of its senior ministers has already suggested that Spanish president Pedro Sánchez could call an early vote in May, for the same day as the European and local elections.

In Catalonia, pro-independence forces are in coalition but frictions continue between them. With nine leaders in jail and seven others in exile, many see the upcoming trial against those behind bars as a crucial moment for the future strategy of Catalan parties and even the continuity of the executive.

However, in both cases it is up to the presidents to decide whether or not to call an election.

According to the Socialist leader Miquel Iceta, "everything will be at stake" next year, and citizens will have to decide between "dialogue and socialism" or "conflict and populism."

"2019 will be a decisive year for the orientation of our politics, there might be two, three or even four elections, but a single battle," he said. According to Iceta, the battle will be "between progress or uncertainty", or "between Pedro Sánchez and the three right-wing parties" in Spain: PP, Cs and Vox.