Marc Puigtió has withdrawn as ERC's Girona candidate after a leaked audio scandal. The party opened an internal investigation. The incident triggered resignations and raised concerns about political ethics.
Marc Puigtió has resigned as Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya's candidate for mayor in Girona, citing “dignity and responsibility” after the emergence of a leaked private audio. The recording, which surfaced this week, captured Puigtió making critical remarks about his own party and discussing internal strategies. The fallout has forced ERC to launch an internal investigation and prompted immediate changes within the party's local leadership.
The controversy erupted when a private conversation was made public, revealing Puigtió's intention to remove colleagues from ERC and take control of electoral resources. He also suggested he could provide compromising information about other party members. The leak led to swift disciplinary action: ERC's leadership opened an official inquiry into Puigtió's conduct, and he responded by apologizing to party members and offering to explain himself in detail.
In his statement to l’ACN, Puigtió acknowledged a “serious mistake” and accepted full responsibility. He expressed concern about the growing trend of recording, editing, and distributing private conversations in politics, warning that such practices risk becoming normalized. Puigtió emphasized that the ERC project in Girona is “more important” than any individual and insisted he did not seek to cling to his position. He described his decision to step aside as an act of honesty, despite his regret over the situation.
The scandal's impact was immediate. Karim Sabni, who served as ERC Girona's secretary for image and communication, resigned from the local executive committee. Sabni, speaking on TV3, referenced the dangers of normalizing far-right tactics, alluding to the context of the leaked conversation. Meanwhile, ERC president Oriol Junqueras told Catalunya Ràdio that the episode was “extremely unfortunate” and “out of place,” but stressed the need for due process before making final decisions.
This incident in Girona highlights the growing challenges Spanish parties face in managing internal disputes and the risks posed by private communications becoming public. Similar tensions have surfaced in other regions, as seen when former Jerez mayor Pedro Pacheco spoke out about the personal and political consequences of internal party conflicts. The Girona case underscores how quickly a local dispute can escalate into a broader crisis, affecting party image and leadership stability.
In recent years, Spanish political life has seen a rise in scandals linked to leaked recordings and internal power struggles. Parties are increasingly forced to address not only the content of such leaks but also the ethical implications of how private information is obtained and used. For ERC in Girona, the immediate priority is to restore trust among members and voters while navigating the fallout from Puigtió's departure. The party's next steps will likely set a precedent for how similar cases are handled across Spain's political landscape.
