Catalan election campaign overshadowed by Covid uncertainty

The campaign ahead of a key election in the Catalonia region gets under way on Friday, although the threat of Covid-19 means that there is still uncertainty over whether the vote will be held as scheduled.

Catalonia’s nationalist government initially called the election, for the region’s parliament, for February 14th. But, earlier this month, a majority of Catalan parties agreed to delay the election until May, because of concerns over coronavirus. The Catalan high court subsequently reinstated the original election date, on a provisional basis, in response to several appeals and it must issue a final decision by February 8th.

La Vanguardia newspaper said the situation was further proof that the north-eastern Spanish region “is living in a constant state of impermanence”.

Catalonia’s last election was in 2017, after which the pro-independence Together for Catalonia (JxCAT) and Catalan Republican Left (ERC) formed a coalition. However, the two parties have been at loggerheads for months.

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The regional government was further destabilised after the Spanish supreme court removed Catalan president Quim Torra, of JxCAT, from office in September for disobeying an order by the electoral board.

Polls suggest that ERC and JxCAT, whose leading candidate is former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium, will again vie to be the dominant pro-independence party. Meanwhile a surge in polls by the Catalan Socialists (PSC) suggests they are the leading unionist force and might even compete with the secessionist parties.

The PSC's candidate for president of Catalonia is Salvador Illa, who shot to prominence as the Spanish health minister when Covid-19 struck. This week, he stepped down from the Socialist-led national government to start campaigning. Although his management of the pandemic has been fiercely criticised by the opposition, his moderate manner is seen as a potential vote winner in a region which has seen years of bitter political conflict.

“I’m taking on a new responsibility which I’m guessing will not be easy either,” Mr Illa said at his farewell press conference.

Third wave

As Covid infection rates continued to rise earlier this month, ERC was opposed to maintaining the February 14th election date and has claimed that the Catalan High Court ruled in accordance with the political wishes of the Socialists.

However, the nationalist parties received a boost on Thursday, when eight of the politicians and civic leaders who were jailed for their role in a 2017 failed independence drive were granted third-degree penitentiary status, meaning they can take part in campaigning during the day. Among them is ERC leader Oriol Junqueras.

Although the third wave of the pandemic appears to have eased off in recent days in Catalonia, restrictions are still in place on businesses, bars and restaurants and travel is restricted into and out of towns and cities. The campaign is expected to be dominated by digital events and small gatherings, with no large rallies.

Volunteers at voting stations will undergo Covid tests and receive protective equipment.

The Catalan government has said that delays in vaccine deliveries from Pfizer and Moderna are "serious" and mean that 10,000 people will receive their second jab later than planned.