Together for Catalonia (2017)

Together for Catalonia (2017)
Name	Together for Catalonia (2017)
Native name	Junts per Catalunya (2017)
Foundation	July 2017
Leader	Carles Puigdemont
Country	Spain
State	Catalonia

Together for Catalonia (2017) was an electoral list led by Carles Puigdemont formed ahead of the 2017 Catalan regional election; it brought together figures from Convergence and Union, Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, and civic pro-independence platforms to contest a snap poll following the 2017 Spanish constitutional crisis and the Catalan unilateral declaration of independence. The list positioned itself in opposition to decisions by the Rajoy government and the Spanish Senate to invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, while aligning with municipal and grassroots actors such as the Municipalities for Independence network and personalities linked to the Catalan National Assembly and Òmnium Cultural.

Background and formation

The formation drew on historic currents dating to Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya and the dissolution of the Convergence and Union alliance, interfacing with institutions like the Parliament of Catalonia and responding to events including the 2017 Spanish general strike and police operations tied to the 2017 Catalan independence referendum (1 October 2017). Key organizers coordinated between exiles in Brussels where Carles Puigdemont relocated, legal teams interacting with the European Court of Justice and the Audiencia Nacional (Spain), and grassroots organizers from the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Òmnium Cultural. Negotiations involved personalities from Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, activists from Crida Nacional per la República, and political operatives associated with Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and CUP–Proposals for the Republic; discussions referenced precedents like the 1992 Barcelona Olympics civic mobilizations and legal debates over autonomy statutes.

Ideology and political platform

The list combined strands of Catalan nationalism and regional liberal-conservative traditions rooted in Pacte Nacional pel Referèndum and positions associated with figures from Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya and Unió Democràtica de Catalunya. Its platform emphasized self-determination, references to the Spanish Constitution of 1978 in contention, and appeal to European institutions such as the European Parliament and the Council of Europe for mediation. Economic proposals echoed policies debated in the Generalitat de Catalunya and fiscal claims related to the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (2006), while social policy references touched on initiatives historically associated with the Barcelona Provincial Council and municipal administrations like Barcelona City Council. The campaign framed its case using examples from international disputes including the Scottish independence referendum, 2014, the Quebec sovereignty movement, and constitutional litigation seen in the German Federal Constitutional Court.

2017 Catalan regional election campaign

Campaign operations linked campaign speeches by Carles Puigdemont and appearances by exiled or detained politicians referenced in proceedings at the Audiencia Nacional (Spain) and the Supreme Court of Spain. The campaign competed with slates from Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Catalunya en Comú–Podem, and the People's Party (Spain), while responding to legal measures enacted by the Rajoy government and debates in the Corts Generals. Media strategies engaged outlets such as TV3 (Catalonia), El País, and La Vanguardia (Spain), and used messaging resonant with movements like the Catalan European Democratic Party and civic organisations including the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Òmnium Cultural. International reactions included commentary from representatives of the European Commission, diplomats from Belgium, and legal analysts referencing rulings by the European Court of Human Rights.

Electoral performance and results

In the 2017 Catalan regional election, the list obtained seats in the Parliament of Catalonia and secured a lead in representation compared to competing blocs such as Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and the People's Party (Spain), influencing parliamentary configurations involving coalitions and investiture debates governed by the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (2006). Vote totals and seat distributions were reported alongside turnout figures comparable to prior contests like the 2015 Catalan regional election and municipal results in jurisdictions such as Girona, Tarragona, Lleida, and Barcelona. Results prompted follow-up legal and political processes in institutions including the Supreme Court of Spain and the Spanish Constitutional Court.

Organization and membership

The electoral list aggregated politicians, former members of Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya, civic leaders from the Assemblea Nacional Catalana, and municipal figures from networks like Municipalities for Independence. Organizational structures referenced party machinery familiar from the Convergència i Unió era and positioned spokespersons and campaign directors with experience in the Generalitat de Catalunya and municipal administrations such as Barcelona City Council. Membership dynamics intersected with legal proceedings involving detained figures before the Audiencia Nacional (Spain) and exile statuses in cities including Brussels and Strasbourg, affecting internal coordination and external communications with the European Parliament.

Aftermath and legacy

The list's aftermath influenced subsequent developments in Catalan politics, contributing to formations like the Catalan European Democratic Party and debates leading toward the 2021 Catalan regional election and later parliamentary realignments involving Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and CUP–Proposals for the Republic. Its legacy is traced in legal contests before the Supreme Court of Spain and the European Court of Human Rights, municipal alliances in places such as Barcelona and Sant Cugat del Vallès, and intellectual discussions within institutions like the Institut d'Estudis Catalans and cultural organisations including Òmnium Cultural. The episode remains a reference point in comparisons with the Scottish independence referendum, 2014 and constitutional disputes seen across the European Union.

Category:Political parties in Catalonia