And the first secretary of the PSC, Salvador Illa, yesterday in Bilbao identified the main risk that, in his opinion, could compromise the investiture of Pedro Sánchez, and he did so by looking at the Catalan sovereignist sphere. "A paralyzing fight between ERC and Junts can put at risk the creation of a framework of stability in Spain", he pointed out. Faced with this danger, he claimed "political office" and asked the pro-independence leaders to "take note" of "the political culture that breathes today in the Basque Country", eyeing Andoni Ortuzar, who was present with others Jeltzal leaders
The leader of the Catalan socialists and the top leader of the Basque nationalists, therefore, agree in warning of the fragile context on which the investiture negotiations must be put on track, especially with regard to Catalan independence. At the Objective Actualitat meeting, organized by the newspaper El Correo, Illa claimed to act with "prudence, patience, discretion and always within the Constitution" in order to guarantee a "framework of stability" in Spain. The socialist leader also stressed the need for the sovereignist parties to "distinguish between the plans and the moments, and know how to articulate the message sent by the citizens in the various electoral cycles", alluding to their loss of support in the last dates with the ballot boxes.
For this reason, Illa considers that "independence parties cannot speak on behalf of Catalonia", which he considers "a key point to move forward". "The root of what happened in 2017 was a failure to recognize the reality of Catalonia, which is plural. What everyone must do is recognize the plurality of Catalan society, and open a dialogue between Catalans", he pointed out in his conference in Bilbao.
Illa's allusions to independence go into the message sent by the PSC and the PSOE last week, when in a joint statement they indicated that "no progress is possible" if they insist on the path of referendum as a condition for investiture. The leader of the Catalan Socialists insisted on this idea yesterday. "It is more than a red line, it is a huge mistake. It is not what the citizens want. We have been very clear: there is no way there", he indicated.
Illa expressed himself in these terms at a meeting attended by representatives of the Basque economic and business world, as well as the Basque Socialists. Also present, and this is a relevant detail, were four representatives of the EBB, the executive of the PNB, with Andoni Ortuzar at the helm. The Penebista leader had warned a few hours earlier, in an interview with El Correo, of the risk of the investiture being wrecked.
"An electoral repeat would be charged by the devil, and Sánchez knows it, because the last time he used the wild card of the repeat he did worse. It doesn't suit anyone. What it could bring is an uncontrolled popular reaction that is difficult to predict. Warning with playing with fire, that those who have just lost (with reference to the PP and Vox) are rubbing their hands", he indicated.
The Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, also warned last week of the unpredictable consequences of the "fight" between the Left and Junts. Yesterday the Basque leader defended an agreement with "sufficient political bases", because Sánchez will need "all the votes all the time" and a permanent "threat" of new elections in the "short term" must be avoided.
