The Catalan branch of the Partido Popular (PP) appointed Juan Fernández as secretary general at its XVI Autonomic Congress in Barcelona. He succeeds Santi Rodríguez, while Alejandro Fernández was re-elected party president. The appointments come as the party seeks to build on recent electoral gains and strengthen its organization ahead of future national campaigning.
Juan Fernández, 43, was previously the party's spokesperson in the Catalan Parliament. He spent nearly two decades as a councillor in Badalona alongside Xavier García Albiol, then became parliamentary spokesperson after the 2024 regional elections and emerged as a prominent figure in the party's resurgence. In the Catalan election on 12 May 2024, the PP won 15 seats, up from three in 2021, a gain of 12 seats that made it the third-largest force in the Parliament. His appointment signals a generational shift and a strategic bet on figures who have gained visibility and influence within the party.
Fernández's rise is closely tied to his role in shaping the party's opposition strategy, particularly on security and immigration. He has repeatedly challenged the Generalitat's language and education policies, denouncing what the PP describes as a “dictadura lingüística.” His growing prominence was further cemented last year, when Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the PP, brought him onto the party's National Executive Committee alongside Daniel Sirera and Dolors Montserrat. The move strengthened Catalonia's voice at the national level. The regional leadership now includes Juan Fernández as secretary general and Alejandro Fernández as president. Feijóo leads the national party, with Miguel Tellado as its national secretary general.
The leadership changes go beyond the secretary general position. Lorena Roldán, previously deputy spokesperson and a former Ciudadanos leader, has been promoted to parliamentary spokesperson. Her close alignment with Alejandro Fernández has prompted some internal debate, particularly over her decision in 2024 to retain her parliamentary seat after being appointed as a regional senator. Some party colleagues criticized the move. During debate over Catalonia's proposed democratic-memory legislation, Roldán also criticized the measure, warning of “legal uncertainty” and arguing that memory policy should respect the division of powers.
Held four years later than scheduled because of a series of elections and ongoing disputes between the Catalan leadership and the party's national headquarters in Madrid, the congress aimed to end a period of organizational uncertainty. Alejandro Fernández used the occasion to publicly reconcile with the national leadership, express regret for past conflicts and call for unity as the party looks ahead.
Under the leadership of Santi Rodríguez and Alejandro Fernández, the Catalan PP has gone from its 2021 result of three seats to 15 deputies in the 2024 Parliament. The new leadership team must consolidate those gains, expand the party's influence in municipal elections and position the PP as a decisive force in Catalonia. The party's national strategy also focuses on the general election: in 2023, it won six of Catalonia's 48 seats in the Congress of Deputies, five in Barcelona and one in Tarragona. It wants to win representation in Girona and Lleida, where it missed out in 2023, and compete for center-right voters while checking Vox's growth. Alejandro Fernández has set objectives that include continued growth at the local level and greater weight in the Parliament. He also wants Catalonia to help bring Feijóo to the Moncloa.
Barcelona is basic to that national effort. Party leaders, including Feijóo, Juan Fernández, Alejandro Fernández, Daniel Sirera and Xavier García Albiol, gathered at a PP event at the Palau de Congressos de Barcelona on Avinguda Diagonal. The party says it wants Catalonia to play “a leading role” in the next general-election campaign, reflecting the importance of the region's 48 seats in the 350-member Congress of Deputies.
Spanish parties closely monitor regional dynamics for their impact on national strategies. Recent coverage examined how major sports broadcasts and breaking news can shape public attention and political momentum, citing a surge in viewership during the Ecuador-Germany World Cup match and coverage of the Venezuela earthquake. The findings were reported in recent Spanish media analyses.
The Partido Popular is one of Spain's major national parties and has seen its fortunes in Catalonia fluctuate. The region's political field remains highly competitive, with questions of language and identity alongside governance. The Catalan PP's leadership changes reflect an effort to build on its 2024 regional-election recovery, strengthen its organization and present a unified front ahead of future electoral contests.
