Internal Conflict in Junts: Trias Candidate Challenges Puigdemont. A dispute has erupted within Junts per Catalunya over the nomination of a mayoral candidate for Barcelona. Jordi Martí Galbis has openly opposed the party leadership's decision and is demanding primary elections. Party leaders had hoped to avoid internal strife.
An internal conflict has intensified within the Junts per Catalunya party over the nomination of a candidate for mayor of Barcelona. Jordi Martí Galbis, who worked for a long time on Xavier Trias’s team, has officially announced his intention to lead the ticket in the municipal elections. This decision contradicts the plans of the Junts leadership, which, under Carles Puigdemont, intended to appoint Josep Rius as the candidate without holding open primaries.
According to Spanish media, the Junts leadership tried to avoid public disagreements and considered putting forward a widely recognized figure. After unsuccessful attempts to bring in candidates such as Joaquim Forn, Tatxo Benet, and Artur Mas for the election, the party settled on Josep Rius—currently the party's spokesperson and former head of Puigdemont's office. However, Jordi Martí Galbis’s unexpected decision to compete for the mayoral post forced the Junts leadership to reconsider its strategy.
Jordi Martí Galbis, who has served as a municipal deputy in Barcelona for 15 years, informed the party secretary, Jordi Turull, of his intention to run. His candidacy has the support of Xavier Trias, who has repeatedly stressed that he sees no better successor. Although Martí Galbis is less publicly known than Rius, he is well acquainted with the party’s internal structures and is trusted by Junts activists in Barcelona.
The party plans to hold a special municipal meeting on May 30 in Vilafranca del Penedès, where candidates for the largest cities in Catalonia are expected to be announced. In 2023, Junts won in more than 300 municipalities, but does not control any of the four provincial capitals. The top candidates for Girona and Lleida have already been decided—Gemma Geis and Violant Cervera, respectively—but the situation in Barcelona and Tarragona remains uncertain.
The internal party struggle for the nomination in Barcelona reflects a broader crisis within Junts, stemming from declining ratings and the need to update its strategy ahead of the 2027 municipal elections. According to Catalan electoral law, parties can independently determine their selection procedures for candidates; however, open primaries often become a source of internal conflict. Barcelona is traditionally seen as a key city for Catalan parties, and the outcome of the nomination battle could affect Junts' standing in the region.
