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| Demòcrates per Catalunya | |
|---|---|
| Name | Demòcrates per Catalunya |
| Native name | Demòcrates per Catalunya |
| Foundation | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Barcelona |
| Country | Catalonia |
| Position | Centre-right to centre-left (disputed) |
| Ideology | Catalan independence, Christian democracy, social liberalism |
Demòcrates per Catalunya is a Catalan political party formed in 2015 that espouses Catalan independence and a mix of Christian democratic and social liberal policies. Founded amid debates following the 2012 Catalan independence demonstration and the 2014 Catalan self-determination referendum, the party emerged from splits within established Catalan Christian democratic currents. It has participated in municipal, regional, and national elections, interacting with parties such as Democratic Union of Catalonia, Convergence and Union, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, and Junts per Catalunya.
The party traces origins to tensions after the 2012 Catalan independence demonstration and the Catalan Way, when members of the Democratic Union of Catalonia and dissidents from Convergence and Union sought a pro-independence Christian democratic project. In 2015 activists connected to the Catalan National Assembly and the Òmnium Cultural movement converged with figures previously involved in the European Christian Political Movement and the Democratic Union network to launch the new formation. Early campaigns coincided with the 2015 Catalan regional election and the 2015 Spanish general election, prompting alliances and rifts with Citizens (Spanish political party), Popular Party (Spain), and Socialist Party of Catalonia–Congress. After the 2017 Catalan independence referendum and the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, the party repositioned itself amid the 2019 Spanish general election and the formation of coalitions including Crida Nacional per la República and Junts per Catalunya.
Its declared principles combine Catalan independence with Christian democratic values derived from Christian Democratic Appeal traditions and European Christian democratic thought represented by the European People's Party and the European Christian Political Movement. The platform emphasizes recognition of the Catalan language and the protection of Catalan cultural institutions such as Sagrada Família-era heritage bodies and local councils influenced by the Barcelona City Council. Policy proposals have addressed fiscal arrangements in relation to the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and advocated for a negotiated legal pathway similar to models discussed in the Scottish independence referendum and the Quebec sovereignty movement. The party has also articulated positions on social policy influenced by debates in the Parliament of Catalonia and international frameworks like the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Organizationally, the party established regional branches across provinces including Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Leadership figures have included former members of the Democratic Union of Catalonia and activists from civil society organizations such as the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Òmnium Cultural. Internal structures reflect models used by Catalan parties like Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and Convergence and Union, with assemblies, executive committees, and candidacy nomination processes debated in meetings similar to those of the Catalan Parliament. The party has engaged with international actors including delegations to the European Parliament and contacts with representatives from the Basque Nationalist Party and other regionalist formations.
Electoral participation has spanned municipal contests in Barcelona City Council races, regional contests for the Parliament of Catalonia, and candidature attempts in the Spanish Congress of Deputies. Results have been modest compared with major Catalan formations such as Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and Junts per Catalunya, reflecting the fragmentation of the pro-independence bloc after the 2015 Catalan regional election. Electoral strategies have included joining broader lists and negotiating pacts similar to the electoral coalitions formed in the 2019 Spanish general election and the 2017 Catalan regional election. Vote shares varied across provinces, with stronger presences in certain municipalities influenced by local issues tied to the Barcelona Provincial Council and municipal administrations.
The party has negotiated alliances with pro-independence entities, engaging in talks with Junts per Catalunya, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, and civic platforms such as the Crida Nacional per la República. It has also interacted with federalist and autonomist forces including the Catalan European Democratic Party and sought cooperation on referendums inspired by comparisons to the Scottish National Party and the Bloc Québécois. Coalition-building has been shaped by stances during the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, electoral pacts in the 2019 Spanish general election, and local agreements in municipal governments across Catalonia.
Criticism has come from multiple directions: opponents on the unionist side such as the People's Party (Spain) and Citizens (Spanish political party) have accused it of exacerbating polarization after the 2017 Catalan independence referendum; rivals within the pro-independence sphere like Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya have challenged its strategic decisions and electoral tactics. Legal and political disputes connected to actions during the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis led to scrutiny in judicial contexts linked to institutions such as the Audiencia Nacional (Spain) and debates in the Parliament of Catalonia. Internal criticisms echoed organizational debates seen in parties like Convergence and Union regarding candidate selection and alliances, while media coverage in outlets that report on Catalan politics compared its platform to those of the Catalan European Democratic Party and historical currents from the Democratic Union of Catalonia.