Lluís Salvadó Becomes Key Negotiator for Esquerra: New Role and Influence. Esquerra Republicana has appointed a new director — Lluís Salvadó. He is now in charge of the party’s main deals and oversees key appointments. The new position has sparked debate within ERC.
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya has created a new position — party director. In 2024, this post was taken by Lluís Salvadó, former president of the Port of Barcelona and one of ERC's chief negotiators. His appointment quickly became a notable event in Catalan politics: it is Salvadó who signs all major party agreements, including the latest budget deals and the terms for supporting Salvador Illa's government.
Salvadó is known as a tough but pragmatic negotiator. According to colleagues, his deep understanding of how the Catalan government operates allows him to achieve tangible results. Within the party, he is seen as someone who knows how to build effective connections and control key appointments. Salvadó's influence is especially evident in the L’Ebre region, where he has built his own network of supporters and promoted his protégés to important positions.
At the same time, Salvadó's new status has triggered mixed reactions among ERC members. Some see him as a leader who supports his own and doesn’t abandon people in difficult situations. Others believe he is too actively placing his allies in key posts to control processes within the party. Internal disputes intensified after a separate post, comparable to a CEO position in business, was created for Salvadó.
Salvadó began his political career in his hometown of Sant Carles de la Ràpita, where he first served as a councilor and then as mayor. Later, he became a delegate of the Catalan government, and in 2012, he joined the parliament. In 2011, when Oriol Junqueras became the head of ERC, Salvadó was already secretary of organization and quickly became one of the party's main strategists. His approach differs from Junqueras's style: Salvadó prefers precise data and systematic analysis over emotional decisions.
In 2017, Salvadó found himself at the center of events surrounding the October 1 referendum, when police raided the Ministry of Economy building. Despite public pressure, he kept a low profile and tried not to draw attention to his family. However, in 2018, he was embroiled in a scandal after a fragment of a phone conversation was published in which he made an unfortunate comment about candidates for the post of Minister of Education. The internal party investigation did not lead to serious consequences, but this episode sparked new discussions about his role in the party.
After working at the Port of Barcelona, Salvadó declined to continue his career in that structure and focused on ERC's internal politics. His influence is evident not only in personnel matters, but also in strategic negotiations with other parties. In particular, he represented ERC at key meetings where the terms for transferring management of the Rodalies rail network and budget agreements were discussed.
Salvadó's influence also extends to family ties: his relative Albert Castellanos was appointed as an independent advisor at Red Eléctrica de España. This appointment sparked discussion within the party as well. However, such appointments and the conflicts surrounding them are not uncommon in Spanish politics. Similar personnel changes and debates over influence could be seen in other areas, for example, during the coaching change at football club Chelsea, when Xabi Alonso was appointed as the new head coach.
Context: Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya is one of Catalonia's leading parties, actively engaged in negotiations over the region's status and the distribution of powers between Barcelona and Madrid. Lluís Salvadó, an engineer by training, has been a party member since 1991. His career illustrates how internal connections and strategic appointments shape the balance of power in Catalan politics. In the coming years, Salvadó's role in ERC may become pivotal for new agreements and reforms in the region.
