In a critical week for negotiations between ERC and PSC regarding the investiture of Salvador Illa as the president of the Generalitat, Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit Barcelona on Wednesday to meet with Pere Aragonés, the acting president of the Generalitat. Recently, ERC has been pushing the PSC and PSOE for political gestures to facilitate progress in the negotiations, and this visit, first reported by La Vanguardia, is seen as particularly significant.
According to La Vanguardia, the meeting comes after Marta Rovira, acting president and secretary general of ERC, warned the socialists that they would withdraw from negotiations if a preliminary agreement is not reached by the end of July. The republicans have also indicated that failure to secure a “fiscal sovereignty agreement,” which would allow Catalonia to collect, manage, and settle taxes, could lead to new elections.
On Monday, both the socialists and republicans took a step forward that could lay the groundwork for a potential investiture pact. The Minister of Economy, Natàlia Mas, and the Minister of Territory, Ester Capella, announced that the State will provide €1.52 billion to the Generalitat over the next three years. Of this amount, €1.058 billion is earmarked for Rodalies (the regional rail services) and €450 million is allocated for research and development, fulfilling commitments made in the PSOE-ERC agreement from November 2023 that facilitated Sánchez’s investiture.
As the situation develops, all eyes are on the negotiations and the potential implications for Catalonia’s governance. For ongoing updates, you can follow reliable news sources related to the situation.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/espana/2024/07/23/sanchez-y-aragones-preven-reunirse-este-miercoles-para-tratar-la-negociacion-de-investidura-de-illa/
