Junqueras Steps Down as ERC Leader Temporarily

Junqueras Temporarily Leaves ERC Presidency

Oriol Junqueras announced he is stepping down as president of ERC on a temporary basis. The news has generated uncertainty within the pro-independence camp, which now faces the question of who will lead the party.

Carles Puigdemont remains in exile, Marta Rovira has also relinquished her responsibilities, and Junqueras himself joins this list of departures. Some observers note that a leader who served prison time now sees his electorate rewarding those who fled justice in a car trunk.

Pro-Independence Movement Left Without Visible Leaders

The trickle of exits from ERC and the broader independence space paints an unprecedented scenario. Junqueras isn't leaving entirely—he speaks of a temporary withdrawal—but his departure creates a vacuum. Within the party, attention turns to Salvador Illa as President of the Generalitat and to the PSC (Socialists' Party of Catalonia), which analyses suggest could grow by filling the void left by ERC.

Some argue that ERC is merely a branch of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), a crutch supporting the central government in exchange for positions. Others point out that its more leftist voters may eventually switch to a more nationalist-leaning PSC, while the most hardline independents will move to Junts (Together for Catalonia). In any case, the result is a party fading away, potentially reduced to between 9 and 12 seats in the Parliament of Catalonia, according to circulating analyses.

Puigdemont's Shadow and the Weariness of Negotiation

Comparison with Carles Puigdemont is inevitable. While Junqueras served his sentence, the former president installed himself in the European Parliament and maintained his standoff with the Spanish State from Brussels. Some claim one side pays the price while the other gets off lightly. This asymmetry, fair or not, has resonated with part of the electorate, who view Junqueras as the scapegoat for a cause that never fully took off.

Junqueras himself appeared visibly affected. He looked burned out during the post-election press conference, and in subsequent street interviews, he responded to journalists with evasions and evident discomfort. It is easy to imagine the mood of someone who spent years defending a flag only to find his own electorate turning its back on him.

What Next for ERC and Independence?

The immediate future involves a possible snap election that no one rules out, though ERC opposes it. The party faces a dilemma: reinvent itself from within or become an appendage of the PSC. Predictions suggest the PSC will absorb moderate voters and Junts will capture the radicals, leaving ERC without a clear niche.

Some recall that the independence movement has spent years competing over who caves in first, noting that the Catalan bourgeoisie was never truly committed. The prevailing conclusion is that Catalan nationalism is in decline, with a shrinking social base each term and an electorate rewarding Spanish-centric options. The question now is whether Junqueras will try again or if his temporary retreat becomes permanent.

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Key Data

• Junqueras temporarily leaves the ERC presidency.
• Marta Rovira has also stepped down from her party roles.
• ERC could be reduced to between 9 and 12 MPs in the Parliament, according to current analyses.
• The PSC emerges as the main beneficiary of the space vacated by ERC, per recent polls.

Catalan politics enters a phase of uncertainty that no one seems able to resolve. Will there be a snap election? Will ERC's reinvention succeed? Or will we witness a slow agony toward irrelevance?