Reflecting the deep division in Catalan society, the electoral campaign in Catalonia has resulted in separatist leaders fleeing in exile or landing in jail.
As reported by Euronews, it’s been an exceptional set of affairs, leading to a very unusual campaign. The former president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont is self-exiled in Brussels, while the former vice-President and leader of the left-wing party, ERC, remains in prison.
Puigdemont’s party claims to be the legitimate government. Now, Josep Rull, former member of the ousted Catalan government is running again under the same party banner.
“Our goal is to restore democratic normality in Catalonia, which means to restore the legitimate Government with President Puigdemont at the head of the Government. We want political prisoners to be released. We also want President Puigdemont and the other members of the government in exile to come back to Catalonia.”
Meanwhile, Puigdemont’s former ally, the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) party, suggested they focus on policy instead. Recent polls show the ERC winning the most votes in the separatist bloc, reported Euronews.
In a separate report, the BBC noted that an aggregate of polls published by the daily El Pais suggests that ERC will come top, winning 33 seats, with one or two seats more than Ciudadanos (Cs), which wants unity with Spain.
Puigdemont’s pro-independence JxCat party is predicted to come third, getting about 27 seats. This would mean no parliamentary majority in favour of independence.
