Vote for us or they'll win, say parties on the fifth day of campaign

The main parties running for the December 21 election in Catalonia asked for a tactical vote on the fifth day of campaign, thus distancing themselves from their closer rivals by arguing that they are the safest option to prevent a greater evil.

ERC: imagine Ciutadans winning the election

Carles Mundó, a Catalan minister who spent 34 days in prison for his role in the push for independence, asked people “to vote with their hearts and their heads because not a single independence supporter wants to even imagine [unionist] Ciutadans winning the election,” he said. “In order to prevent this from happening, the most useful vote is ERC.”

Mundó spoke in Vilanova i la Geltrú along with minister Raül Romeva, who was also jailed in Madrid. They reassured their commitment to elect Oriol Junqueras president. Junqueras is ERC’s leader and vice president of the government dismissed by Madrid. He is still being kept behind bars.

“Can you imagine Inés Arrimadas as president, Miquel Iceta — who loves to dance to the rhythm of [Spanish president Mariano] Rajoy and [Article] 155 — as vice president, and Xavier García Albiol as minister?” said Mundó. “It’s not a joke.”

Together for Catalonia: of course Puigdemont will be back

Together for Catalonia, president Carles Puigdemont’s pro-independence ticket, referred on Saturday to concerns over whether he will be able to assume office following the election. “Yes, of course he’ll be back, and he we’ll do it thanks to the votes we will cast on December 21,” said Neus Lloveras, mayor of Vilanova i la Geltrú and president of the Association of the Catalan Municipalities for Independence.

Lloveras spoke at a campaign rally in La Garriga. Puigdemont, connected via videoconference, said that “I am sure that if we are very committed we will soon meet in Catalonia.”