PDeCAT under investigation in corruption scandal

Spain’s National Court has widened the investigation of the so-called ‘3%’ corruption scandal to include Convergència (CDC) and the party’s heirs, PDeCAT, currently part of the pro-independence government coalition in Catalonia.

Both parties are under investigation for influence peddling, bribery, and money laundering. According to the judge, CDC created a scheme with the support of government officials and civil servants in order to illegally fund the party.

CDC, which governed Catalonia for almost 30 years, allegedly used two foundations (Catdem and Fòrum Barcelona) to get kickbacks from private companies in exchange for public contracts.

In total, there are 23 people under investigation, including former CDC officials in charge of the party’s finances for years, as well as other people who held posts of responsibility outside the party, such as the president of the Barcelona port, Sixte Cambra.

Spain’s National Court is looking into 24 separate biddings for government contracts, accounting for 218 million euros.

PDeCAT elects new leadership

In 2016, PDeCAT took up the mantle of the now-inactive CDC party, which held sway over Catalonia for almost thirty years since the 1980s in coalition with Unió force. The CDC is part of the ALDE liberal group in the European Parliament.

Last weekend, PDeCAT appointed David Bonvehí as its head. The party also decided to join ‘La Crida’, a new political movement launched by PDeCAT member and former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, currently exiled abroad.