Junts leaders openly reject deals with Aliança Catalana as the far-right party gains ground. The debate exposes a deep rift over the future of Catalan nationalism and the legacy of Convergència.
The prospect of Aliança Catalana overtaking Junts as the leading force in Catalan nationalism is no longer far-fetched. Recent comments from Junts leaders show a party struggling to define its position as Sílvia Orriols and her party gain ground. The debate centers on whether Junts should negotiate with Aliança Catalana and risks being pushed aside by a movement it once dismissed.
David Madí, a former senior official under Artur Mas and a fixture of the old Convergència tradition, stirred controversy in an interview with La Vanguardia. He dismissed the idea of cordons sanitaires and argued that deals with Aliança Catalana could be possible under certain circumstances. Shaped by the era when Convergència dominated Catalan politics, this approach now seems out of step with Junts’ current leadership.
A Sigma Dos poll published on September 10, 2026, projected that Aliança Catalana would win 16.7% of the vote and 25 to 28 seats, surpassing Junts, projected to receive 13.2% and 19 to 22 seats.
Within days of Madí’s remarks, Junts’ basic leaders moved quickly to distance themselves from any cooperation with the far right. At the Universitat Catalana d’Estiu, Jordi Turull called for a direct, values-based confrontation with ultranationalism in Catalan politics. Josep Rull criticized the “ethnicism” of Orriols’ party. In a September 11 radio address, Jordi Pujol defended a Catalan identity open to newcomers and long-time residents. Their statements make clear Junts’ rejection of Aliança Catalana’s exclusionary message.
The rise of a far-right independence party has forced Junts to confront its own contradictions. The party is caught between the pragmatic moderation once associated with Convergència and the hardline nationalism now attracting some of its voters. Many considering Aliança Catalana are former Convergència supporters, making the threat to Junts both ideological and electoral. Data cited by Spanish media shows that up to 25.8% of Aliança Catalana’s potential voters previously backed Junts, underscoring the scale of the shift.
For years, Junts managed to balance these competing instincts. Now, as Aliança Catalana grows, the party faces a clear choice: echo Orriols’ rhetoric or draw a firm line. Recent statements from Turull, Rull, and Pujol suggest open confrontation is becoming the preferred path, but the risk of a split remains.
Analysts say the internal split within Junts is strategic as well as ideological: a impressive number of Aliança Catalana’s municipal candidates previously had ties to Junts. The two parties are competing for the same voters and political talent.
Madí’s vision, shaped by a time when Convergència set the agenda, now seems out of touch. Recent polls suggest the real risk is that Aliança Catalana could become the basic draw for nationalist voters, relegating Junts to a secondary role. In that case, Aliança Catalana would decide whether to include Junts in any future coalition, not the other way around.
This reflects broader instability in Spanish politics, where established parties face growing challenges from new groups. As recent events have shown, the old guard’s legacy does not guarantee continued influence.
Junts’ leaders now face a real test. Their rejection of Aliança Catalana’s approach aims to defend a pluralist vision of Catalan identity and prevent far-right positions from becoming normal within the independence movement. Whether this stance will hold if electoral math changes remains unclear, but the party’s credibility is at stake. The era when Convergència could dictate the terms is over. Junts now has to show it can stand by its principles without being overtaken by those willing to cross every line.
