Jordi Juan, Director of La Vanguardia
05/02/2021
Yesterday ended the term of the ultimatum issued by Pere Aragonès (ERC) to Junts to try to close a government agreement. The Republican candidate promised to seek alternative routes, if no pact was reached, to avoid new elections. Soon we will have doubts about what ERC will finally do, but what is clear is that its aspiring president has once again been ignored by the formation of Carles Puigdemont. And it’s not the first time. Whether it is the last will depend on the courage of the Republicans to dare to break with the Junts or if they will prefer to continue dragging the negotiation until the last day, which is none other than May 26, when the deadline (this yes, true) ends set by the Parliament to call new elections if a new president has not been invested.
When Quim Torra had to resign disabled, Junts set severe conditions so that Aragonès could not be treated as president, he could not have an office in the Generalitat, nor could he deliver the traditional Christmas speech. As vice president, Aragonès’ list of grievances is endless. The only thing missing was the contempt that Torra dedicated to him in his recent book about his stage in the Government: “He disappoints me, in all meetings he always has a passive role, absent, without intervening. Normally, in each meeting I end up asking him if he has anything to add. It never happens”.
This disrespectful attitude on the part of the Junts did not change even after winning Puigdemont in the 14-F elections. There is no doubt that, if the Junts had been above, the Government would have been constituted for weeks. Aragonès has had to endure the swallow of two lost investitures and the pact is still far from being finalized. Economic and social sectors have been demanding the constitution of an effective Executive for weeks, as was verified yesterday at the May Day rally. But nothing moves.
Esquerra has to choose between following the negotiating route with Junts, without knowing what the real will of its former partner is, or venturing to try a minority government. Even in the event that an agreement is reached, Aragonès already suffers the wear and tear of Junts’ contempt. He has been a neglected candidate and may end up being a neglected president.
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https://www.lavanguardia.com/opinion/20210502/7422697/president-ninguneado.html
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