Oriol Junqueras Reelected as ERC President Amid Leadership Changes
Oriol Junqueras has been reelected as the president of the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), with Elisenda Alamany stepping in as the new general secretary. Their candidacy, Militància Decidim, triumphed in the second round of the republican congress, garnering 522 votes from party members. In contrast, the competing candidacy, Nova Esquerra Nacional, led by Xavier Godàs and Alba Camps, received 422 votes, falling short of Junqueras' support.
A total of 8,004 ERC members were eligible to vote, and of these, 6,429 chose to participate electronically in the election for new leadership. This vote follows a first round held on November 30, where the turnout was 81.35%.
Junqueras’ political journey has been tumultuous. Previously, he served as Vice President of the Catalan government under Carles Puigdemont and was convicted of sedition and embezzlement tied to his involvement in the Catalan independence push. After spending three years and eight months in prison, he received a partial pardon but remains disqualified from holding public office due to a Supreme Court decision denying him amnesty.
With his relationship evidently strained with much of the outgoing leadership, particularly former number two Marta Rovira, Junqueras aims to rejuvenate ERC during a period marked by challenges. The party has seen a significant decrease in membership, with around 1,500 fewer members compared to 2019, alongside a decline of half a million votes in the same time frame. Despite these setbacks, ERC continues to hold a key position in the Catalan Parliament and Congress, and Junqueras' reelection signals a determination to revitalize the party and strengthen its influence.
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