Members of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) in Barcelona will elect a new president for their city federation on 17 April, following an internal rebellion that has challenged the party’s national leadership.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

City councillor Rosa Suriñach leads the ‘critics’ faction, while Ricard Farin, president of the ERC club in Horta-Guinardó, represents the ‘officialist’ candidates. Both campaigns have secured the necessary endorsements. Suriñach’s team presented more than double the required 46 signatures, and Farin’s group submitted over triple that amount. This contest marks a reversal of roles from the previous internal election, where current president Creu Camacho, then a critic, defeated the officialist candidate Eva Baró.

Internal Rebellion Precedes Vote

The upcoming ERC Barcelona election follows a significant internal rebellion within the party’s city branch. Over half of the executive committee resigned en masse, including Rosa Suriñach, to protest the direction taken by the incumbent president, Creu Camacho. These resignations occurred despite many of the dissenting members having previously campaigned alongside Camacho in the prior year’s primaries.

Following the mass resignations, the critics began discussions to form an alternative leadership for the federation. Rosa Suriñach ultimately stepped forward to front this project. Her campaign, named ‘Construïm Esquerra Barcelona’ (Let’s Build Left Barcelona), recently convened approximately 100 members to formalise their candidacy.

Suriñach Leads ‘Critics’ Faction

Rosa Suriñach’s ‘Construïm Esquerra Barcelona’ candidacy includes several prominent figures. Nil Font, another former executive committee member who resigned, serves as her second-in-command. Other notable supporters include Núria Cuenca, former Secretary General of the Presidency for the Generalitat de Catalunya under Pere Aragonès, and national parliamentarians Pilar Vallugera (Congress) and Joan Queralt (Senate). Barcelona city councillor Jordi Castellana also supports Suriñach’s bid.

Historically significant figures within ERC Barcelona, such as Robert Fabregat, who presided over the federation during the ‘Procés’ years, have also backed Suriñach. Additionally, former Secretary General for Social Rights Oriol Amorós and former Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Bosch, who have previously been at odds, are now united in supporting this critical faction.

Farin Represents ‘Officialist’ Stance

Ricard Farin’s ‘officialist’ candidacy, known as ‘Activem Barcelona’ (Let’s Activate Barcelona), formally presented itself to members via a letter on 9 March. Núria Clotet, the current coordinator of the ERC municipal group at the Ajuntament de Barcelona, accompanies Farin on his ticket. Clotet previously worked alongside Alfred Bosch early in her career.

Montse Benedí, who campaigned with Eva Baró in the previous election, is a candidate to preside over the Assembly within Farin’s list. Although not directly part of the candidacy, former federation president Eva Baró openly supports Farin. Members of Creu Camacho’s executive who did not resign during the rebellion also back the ‘Activem Barcelona’ project. Prominent party figures, including former ERC Barcelona leader Patrícia Gomà, current republican spokesperson in the Catalan Parliament Ester Capella, and Member of Parliament Joan Ignasi Elena, attended Farin’s recent presentation event.

National Leadership Maintains Neutrality

The national leadership of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya has officially decided not to endorse either candidacy. Elisenda Alamany, the party’s candidate for the upcoming municipal elections in Barcelona and ERC’s Secretary General, also maintains a neutral stance. However, the national leadership previously supported Creu Camacho when the critics resigned from the Barcelona executive, condemning the rebellion at that time. This suggests an underlying preference, despite the current official neutrality.

Divergent Visions for Barcelona’s ERC

Both Suriñach and Farin’s campaigns express a desire to overcome the internal divisions that have historically plagued the party in recent months. However, their approaches differ significantly. Suriñach’s ‘Construïm Esquerra Barcelona’ prioritises an active role for the membership in decision-making. It advocates for the Barcelona federation to define the party’s strategy in the city, ensuring the municipal group responds directly to the affiliates’ decisions.

Conversely, Farin’s ‘Activem Barcelona’ project advocates for “coordination, not confrontation” between the party, the municipal group, and the national leadership. His campaign aims to “build an exciting future project to recover our Barcelona,” a sentiment also shared by Elisenda Alamany. This underlying tension between the national leadership and the critics continues to emerge, even though Barcelona’s internal dynamics do not always mirror national-level politics. Suriñach’s project champions autonomy for the Barcelona federation, while the officialists reject its use as a “counter-power to anyone or anything, neither the national leadership nor the recently chosen candidate [Elisenda Alamany].”

The outcome of the 17 April election will significantly shape the direction and internal cohesion of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in Barcelona for the coming years.

Sign up for our new entrepreneurs community Bizcelona, now accepting our second wave of applicants.

Originally published by Ara Cat. Read original article.