ERC and Junts, the two main Catalan pro-independence parties in Spain’s Congress, have shown a deeply fractured voting record over the past two years. ERC and Junts voting patterns show clear splits. The data examines 86 votes on ERC amendments and 59 on Junts amendments in congressional committees.

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ERC supported Junts proposals 66% of the time. But Junts backed ERC initiatives in just 52% of cases.

Erc And Junts: Key Details

Junts abstained 23 times and voted against ERC 18 times. Meanwhile, ERC recorded 10 abstentions and 10 ‘no’ votes against Junts proposals.

Recent weeks have highlighted their differences. In early December, Junts secured support from both the PP and PSOE to advance a law against repeat offenders. This would impose prison sentences for mobile phone theft.

Key policy disagreements emerge clearly

Nine months ago, ERC voted against a Junts bill to allow express evictions of squatters.

On the other side, Junts derailed ERC’s attempt to regulate seasonal rentals. They initially blocked it, then accepted a revised version for debate.

In Madrid, Junts abstained on an ERC proposal to increase taxation to reduce property speculation. But they did unite with the republicans on several cultural and linguistic issues.

They also agreed to ban selling at a loss in the food chain.

Tax and social policy reveals further rifts

The autumn 2024 fiscal package brought another notable split. Junts introduced several modifications to Pedro Sánchez’s proposals.

Conversely, Junts voted against ERC (and Bildu) proposals to maintain the bank tax and the energy company tax. Junts later definitively buried these taxes alongside the PP and Vox.

The parity law created more friction. ERC voted against Junts’ attempt to delay its application for electoral colleges until 2030 (instead of 2026) and for corporate boards until 2028.

On food waste, ERC opposed postponing general obligations by one year and applying a 0% tax rate on donations to charities.

Non-legislative initiatives show slightly more unity

The picture is somewhat different for non-binding proposals that set tasks for the Spanish government. Ten ERC initiatives have been voted on in plenary sessions, with 53 total votes.

Agreement was absolute on ERC’s twenty points about “fighting corruption, state sewers.Judicial warfare.” It was nearly total on a text about “worsening railway chaos” in Catalonia. Both parties denounced the “structural and persistent deficiencies” in train services.

Míriam Nogueras and Gabriel Rufián did align to demand a report from La Moncloa on applying the democratic memory law.

Junts brought six non-legislative proposals to a vote. ERC supported three, opposed two, and abstained on one.

However, ERC voted against tightening requirements for seasonal foreign workers’ paternity leave. They also opposed reducing VAT on funeral services or telecare and introducing new inheritance tax bonuses and more deductions for the self-employed.

After the Christmas holidays, all eyes will be on the financing negotiations. Esquerra hopes to close a deal with the PSOE that Junts will need to vote for in Congress.

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