Final campaign campaign in Barcelona in search of the decisive undecided vote

On a day like today, four years ago, 24 hours before the elections, two names monopolized the bets: Ernest Maragall (ERC) and Ada Colau (BComú).

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
26 May 2023 Friday 22:21
11 Reads
Final campaign campaign in Barcelona in search of the decisive undecided vote

On a day like today, four years ago, 24 hours before the elections, two names monopolized the bets: Ernest Maragall (ERC) and Ada Colau (BComú). The first one won the elections. The second won the mayoralty. Today, just a few hours before the electoral date, few dare –with the exception of interested and devoted respective circles– to get wet. The unprecedented three-way tie (Colau-Trias-Collboni) from the polls and previous and potential alliances draw an adjusted result and in the hands of an indecisive majority that corroborates the distance and detachment between citizens and politicians.

Barcelona closed the campaign last night in style. The presence of Pedro Sánchez and Yolanda Díaz, to give the final push to Jaume Collboni and Ada Colau – until the day before yesterday government partners and preferred adversaries during the campaign – has a political reading that transcends the city. What happens on Sunday in Barcelona will have consequences for the future of the left in the next general elections, to be held in half a year. And these elections, in turn, can condition the necessary municipal agreements.

The irruption in December of Xavier Trias in the electoral race encouraged the impatient citizens for a change in the Casa Gran. The dissatisfied Barcelona, ​​the one that demands more security, more cleanliness, fewer superblocks and more economic progress, applauded the decision of the convergent former mayor, who has hidden everything the Junts brand could during the campaign. The party has deployed its leaders throughout Catalonia –the central act, in Vic– except in Barcelona and Trias and his team closed yesterday at the Jardinets de Gràcia.

It has been Jaume Collboni, in that first round focused on Trias or Colau, the one most interested in bringing out the independence postulates of Junts. The Socialists have spared no resources to mobilize their voters in a campaign that they have considered crucial, in Barcelona, ​​strategically at points in the metropolitan area and in Tarragona, where Pedro Sánchez also made a stopover yesterday. In the southern capital, the Socialist mayor, Ruben Viñuales – four years ago as a brand new Ciudadanos mayor – is the best placed in the polls, ahead of Pau Ricomà (ERC), the current mayor.

With the entry of Xavier Trias, the polls relegated Ernest Maragall to fourth position, while consolidating the technical tie at three. During the campaign that has run according to the script and without major shocks -the attempt by the right-wing parties to impose unemployment on the electoral agenda did not go further-, the mayors have been more aware of not making mistakes and of mobilizing their electorate than to ring the bell

Ada Colau counted again last night with the support of Yolanda Díaz. The mayoress, who has thoroughly played the campaign on the networks, has defended tooth and nail her model of the city by distributing merits, despite Collboni's attempts to distance herself from the government work of which she was a part until January. Tomorrow's results will indicate whether her march – and not that of the rest of the Socialist councilors – was a good strategic decision or if it will take its toll.

With less than 24 hours to go before the elections, few dare to bet out loud. A few thousand votes can determine a crucial first position – decisive for the multiple possible pacts – and a high or low participation will favor or prevent the entry of PP, Ciudadanos, Valents, Vox or the CUP in the consistory. And while some are exploring pools and planning alliances, thousands of citizens raffled again yesterday for another breakdown in Rodalies. This is how the campaign began and how it ends.