Survey elections in Catalonia: Illa plummets while Aliança Catalana bursts onto the scene with force, according to Sigma Dos

The President of the Generalitat is elected in the Parliament of Catalonia through an investiture procedure regulated by the Statute of Autonomy, the Parliament's Rules of Procedure, and, indirectly, by the Spanish Constitution. After the elections, the chamber is first constituted and its Board is elected; then, the Presidency of the Parliament proposes a candidate and a specific investiture debate is held. The first vote requires an absolute majority and, if not achieved, successive votes by simple majority are held within a maximum period of two months from the first vote. If no one obtains confidence within that time, the Parliament is automatically dissolved and new elections are called, without direct intervention from the King or the central Government in the ordinary procedure.

Applicable legal framework

The procedure is based on three normative levels:

1) Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia: establishes the existence of the President of the Generalitat, their election by the Parliament, and the basic scheme of majorities and investiture deadlines.
2) Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Catalonia: develops the parliamentary details: convening the plenary session, order of interventions, debate format, and voting method.
3) Spanish Constitution: establishes the general framework of the autonomous state and Catalonia's autonomy, as well as exceptional cases (such as Article 155 CE) that could affect institutional life, although they are not part of the ordinary investiture mechanism.

Constitution of the Parliament after the elections

Once the regional elections have been held, the new Parliament must be constituted within a maximum period of about twenty days from the election call, in accordance with the Statute and the Rules of Procedure. In the constitutive session, the status of elected deputies is verified and the Parliament's Board (Presidency, Vice Presidencies, and Secretariats) is elected, a key body because it will schedule and organize the investiture process. Without this prior constitution and an operational Board, no investiture can be formally initiated.

Proposal of candidate for the presidency

With the Parliament already constituted, it is the responsibility of its president to propose a candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat. This proposal must be a deputy from the Parliament itself and is politically based on the election results and negotiations between groups (coalition agreements, external support, etc.). The Statute requires the Presidency of the chamber to promote the proposal within a reasonable period, precisely to start the investiture countdown and avoid prolonged power vacuums.

Investiture debate and plenary development

The investiture debate is a dedicated plenary session of the Parliament. First, the candidate presents their government program and the general lines of their action leading the Generalitat without a strict time limit, asking for the chamber's confidence. Then, parliamentary groups intervene in order from largest to smallest representation, with turns set by the Rules of Procedure to make assessments, criticisms, or support, and the candidate may respond, usually grouping replies. The entire debate aims for deputies to decide whether to grant their confidence to the proposed candidate.

Voting and required majorities

After the debate, investiture votes are held, with two levels of requirement:

First vote: requires an absolute majority of the chamber, that is, support from more than half of the deputies that make up the Parliament (in practice, at least 68 of 135 seats). If the candidate obtains that majority, they are invested and the process concludes.
Second and subsequent votes: if the first vote fails, the Rules of Procedure provide for a second vote, which must be held at least 48 hours later. In this and any subsequent votes, only a simple majority is required: more votes in favor than against, with abstentions not counted as active opposition.

Maximum two-month period and automatic dissolution

The key time element is the maximum period of two months from the first investiture vote. That moment — the first vote, whether successful or not — triggers the countdown. If within those two months no candidate obtains the Parliament's confidence (neither by absolute majority in the first vote nor by simple majority in the following ones), the Statute establishes the automatic dissolution of the Parliament and the calling of new elections. No additional political agreement or discretionary decision is needed: the dissolution operates by operation of law when the deadline expires without an invested president.

Role of the King and the central Government

In regional investitures, the King does not play the active role he has in the investiture of the President of the Government of Spain. He does not conduct consultation rounds nor propose a candidate for the Generalitat; the initiative corresponds exclusively to the Presidency of the Parliament. The central Government also does not intervene in the ordinary procedure: it respects institutional autonomy and could only indirectly affect exceptional situations provided for in the Constitution (such as an application of Article 155 CE), which are not part of the normal investiture mechanism.

What happens if investiture is not achieved

If the Parliament fails to invest any president within two months from the first vote, a scenario of repeat elections arises. The chamber is dissolved by statutory mandate and new regional elections are called, restarting the cycle: elections, constitution of the Parliament, election of the Board, and a new investiture attempt. Until the new Parliament elects another president, the previous government remains in office, with limited powers, to guarantee the administrative continuity of the Generalitat.

Powers of the President of the Generalitat according to the Statute of Autonomy

The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia is the highest political authority of the community and concentrates functions of representation, direction of the Government, legislative initiative, and relations with the State and the General Courts. The Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, especially in its Title II, Chapter II, details these powers in various sections of Article 67 and subsequent provisions. In summary, the president directs the general policy of the Generalitat, appoints and dismisses the consellers, promulgates the Government's regulations, acts as institutional interlocutor with the State, and can dissolve the Parliament and call elections. These functions are organized below by blocks to better understand their political and legal scope.

1. Representative and institutional functions

First, the president assumes the main institutional representation of Catalonia:

According to Article 67.1 of the Statute, the president represents the Generalitat and politically directs it. This means they are the institutional reference in all official acts and formal relations with other public institutions, both inside and outside Catalonia. In practice, they preside over the main community events, lead representation before other autonomous communities, international organizations where Catalonia has presence, and participate in political conferences or summits where the voice of the Catalan government is required.

2. Functions of direction of the Government and political action

The president is also the head of the Government, with a central role in the organization and coordination of the Executive:

Article 67.2 establishes that the president directs the action of the Government of the Generalitat, coordinating and supervising the activity of the different departments. This implies deciding the general lines of autonomous policy, setting strategic priorities, and ensuring internal cohesion of the Government. Among their specific powers are:

• The appointment and dismissal of the consellers, according to statutory and legal procedures.
• The presidency and convening of Government meetings, largely determining their political agenda.
• The capacity to promote government plans and coordinate cross-cutting policies among ministries.

3. Normative functions and legislative initiative

The president participates directly in the production of autonomous regulations:

According to Article 67.3, it corresponds to the president to promulgate the decrees and provisions approved by the Government. By doing so, they grant them full legal effectiveness within the Catalan legal system. Additionally:

• They can propose legislative initiatives before the Parliament of Catalonia, channeling the Executive's legislative agenda.
• They must execute and ensure compliance with autonomous laws and regulations, ensuring that the Generalitat Administration acts according to the current legal framework.
• They intervene in the approval of regulations and other general provisions issued by the Government.

4. Functions of relations with the State, the General Courts, and other institutions

The Statute assigns the president a key role as political and institutional liaison:

According to Article 67.4, the president maintains institutional relations with the State and the General Courts. In this capacity:

• Acts as the main interlocutor of the Government of Spain on matters affecting Catalonia's competences.
• Represents the Generalitat in relations with other autonomous communities, both in sectoral conferences and multilateral forums.
• Represents Catalonia in its projection towards the European Union, within the framework allowed by Spanish and European law.
• Can request the State's cooperation for the proper execution of autonomous competences, for example through agreements or coordination mechanisms.

5. Dissolution of the Parliament and calling elections

One of the most politically relevant powers concerns the Parliament:

Article 67.5 provides that the president may dissolve the Parliament of Catalonia and call early elections, always in accordance with the limits and procedures established by the Statute itself and applicable electoral legislation. This power gives them a decisive role in shaping political timing, as they can advance elections when deemed appropriate to unblock majorities, strengthen the Government's legitimacy, or respond to institutional crises.

6. Other functions in exceptional situations

Finally, the Statute contemplates that the president may exercise certain powers in emergency or crisis contexts, always within the constitutional and statutory framework. This includes coordinating the actions of the different Generalitat departments in civil protection, security, or emergencies, and representing Catalonia before state authorities when extraordinary measures affecting Catalan territory are adopted.

Overall, the powers of the President of the Generalitat configure a figure that concentrates the highest autonomous political leadership, the institutional representation of Catalonia, and a key role in articulating relations with the State and the Parliament itself.

Exact results of the 2024 Catalan elections by party

In the elections to the Parliament of Catalonia on May 12, 2024, eight political forces obtained representation. The PSC was clearly the leading force with 42 seats and just under 28% of the votes, followed by Junts+ with 35 seats and just over 21%. ERC came third with 20 deputies, while PP, Vox, Comuns Sumar, CUP-DT, and Aliança Catalana complete the chamber. Turnout was around 58%, clearly above the 2021 elections.

Official results by party with representation

According to the final official count by the Electoral Board (Central Electoral Board) and data published by the Generalitat of Catalonia (resultatsparlament2024), the parties with seats in the Parliament and their overall results were as follows:

PSC (Socialists' Party of Catalonia)

The PSC was the winner of the regional elections. It obtained 42 seats and around 27.9‑28.0% of valid votes. In one of the official breakdowns, it is specified that it reached 27.94% of the votes, with 867,228 ballots cast in its favor. These results consolidate the PSC as the leading force both in votes and parliamentary representation.

Junts + Puigdemont per Catalunya (Junts+)

Junts+ positioned itself as the second force in the Parliament. It achieved 35 seats and around 21.6% of the votes. In more detailed figures, it appears with 21.64% of the votes and 671,780 votes cast. Although behind the PSC in seats and percentage, it maintains a decisive weight in parliamentary arithmetic.

ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia)

ERC finished as the third force. It registered 20 seats and 13.68% of the votes, which translates to 424,887 votes. The result represents a loss of representation compared to the previous legislature but keeps it as one of the main actors in the pro-independence bloc.

PP (People's Party)

The PP experienced a significant rise, reaching 15 seats with 10.97% of the votes, that is, 340,629 votes. This consolidates it as one of the reference parties of the constitutionalist space in the Parliament.

Vox

Vox obtained 11 seats and close to 8% of the votes. The detailed figure places the party at 7.95% of the votes, with 246,976 ballots. It thus remains in the parliamentary spectrum as a radical right force with stable representation.

Comuns – Sumar

The alternative left space, running as Comuns – Sumar, secured 6 seats. In terms of votes, it stood around 5.8%; the specific breakdown indicates 5.81% of the votes, with 180,528 ballots. Although behind PSC and ERC on the left, it retains relevant parliamentary presence for possible agreements.

CUP – DT (CUP – Defense of the Territory)

The CUP-DT obtained 4 seats and 4.09% of the votes, corresponding to 127,108 ballots. The result strengthens its role as a minor but influential force within the pro-independence and anti-capitalist left spectrum.

Aliança Catalana

The novelty in the Parliament is Aliança Catalana, which enters with 2 seats. Its percentage is around 3.8% of the votes; in the detailed count it appears with 3.79% and 117,877 votes. Its entry introduces a new actor in the pro-independence bloc, with a differentiated ideological profile.

Turnout and general context

Official turnout stood around 57.9‑58.0%, representing an approximate increase of 6.68 points compared to the 2021 elections, with about 3.13 million voters. These data, disseminated by the Government through its official electoral website (resultatsparlament2024) and also reported by media such as RTVE (RTVE – Catalunya 2024 results) and other aggregators (Newtral, Onda Cero, El País), confirm the rebalancing of forces in the Parliament.

In summary, the map emerging from May 12 combines a clear victory for the PSC, a very relevant weight of Junts+ and ERC in the pro-independence bloc, and a reinforced presence of PP, Vox, and Aliança Catalana, with Comuns – Sumar and CUP-DT as decisive actors in possible alternative majorities.