Four Junts Candidates Qualified for the Primaries in Barcelona. In Barcelona, four Junts contenders have received support to participate in the primaries. The candidate can be chosen either by vote or directly by the party leadership. This situation complicates the internal party balance.
In Barcelona, four candidates from Junts per Catalunya have officially confirmed they have collected the necessary signatures to participate in the race for mayoral candidate. Jordi Martí Galbis, Pilar Calvo, Glòria Freixa, and Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas have secured the support of at least 20% of the party members in the Catalan capital, allowing them to advance to the next stage of the internal party selection.
The party plans to hold electronic primaries on June 20–21 to determine who will lead the Junts list in the municipal elections and become the main rival of the current mayor, Jaume Collboni. However, Junts leadership reserves the right to cancel the vote and appoint a candidate directly through the Municipal Territory Commission. This option is being considered as a way to avoid potential conflict between the preferences of ordinary members and the position of the party leadership.
Jordi Martí Galbis was the first to announce the collection of signatures, emphasizing that his team completed the task faster than the others. Despite this, his support within the inner circle of Secretary General Jordi Turull remains limited. Intraparty tension increased after Josep Rius—the favorite of Carles Puigdemont and Turull—declined to participate in the race. His decision was explained by the desire to avoid internal confrontation, but after Martí Galbis launched his campaign, other contenders also joined the race: Pilar Calvo, Glòria Freixa, and Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas.
According to the Junts statutes, the final decision on the selection format rests with the leadership. The possibility of appointing a candidate directly is explained by concerns that the results of the primaries may reveal a gap between the views of Barcelona members and the position of the central office. Nevertheless, in official statements, the party emphasizes its commitment to the principles of transparency and the involvement of all members in the process of selecting a leader for the municipal elections.
For reference: Junts per Catalunya is one of the key political forces in Catalonia, traditionally advocating for greater regional autonomy. Barcelona is the region’s largest city and a key political center, where the race for mayor is always closely watched and marked by internal party disagreements. In recent years, competition between parties has intensified, and intra-party primaries have become a tool to gauge the real sentiments among activists.
