The head of the ERC list to Congress, Gabriel Rufián, has claimed the convenience of articulating spaces for collaboration with other formations to "subject the PSOE and not to be subjected," emphasizing that the current PSOE is the result of the correlation of forces driven by ERC, Bildu, BNG, Podemos, and Compromís, which, he argues, have demonstrated a more solid patriotism than "those who carry the flag on a bracelet."
Rufián made this statement this Saturday in Barcelona, at the first joint pre-campaign event with the Podemos candidate, Irene Montero, held in the Plaza Major of Nou Barris under the slogan 'Home. Life. Future,' and in which the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, and the general secretary of Podemos, Ione Belarra, among other figures, also participated.
In his speech, he stated: "I want a PSOE government subjected to these political forces, because it is a lie that the PP and the PSOE are the same, as long as you are capable of grabbing the PSOE by the lapel and telling it here we legislate for the people," insisting that his goal is to condition socialist policies from the left.
"Call yourself what you want, the front is us," he proclaimed, defending the agreement sealed with Podemos for these elections and claiming that there is not a single valid way to be Catalan. He insisted that "this was not about submitting to the PSOE by entering the PSOE," but about exerting pressure from outside and, at the same time, simplifying the electoral landscape.
The republican leader has framed these elections in Catalonia as a dilemma between ERC and the PSC, which, he said, "does not deserve the prize of the so-called useful vote," and has presented ERC as the most clearly antifascist option.
"Fascist rage" and criticism of Junts and AC
In relation to the possible state scenario, Rufián has warned about the eventual formation of a coalition government between the PP and Vox after the election, denying that there is any automatic protection that makes Catalonia, Euskadi, or Galicia immune to "fascist rage" merely because, he points out, they vote differently.
"Does anyone really believe that? But what kind of magic are you selling?" he questioned, reproaching that it is irresponsible to remain on the sidelines of the current political moment. In this line, he directly addressed Junts and asked "what good is it to speak perfect Catalan" if one votes against the housing decrees and the so-called social shield.
He has also attacked the leader of AC, Sílvia Orriols: "What I tell her is that she is neither brave nor a patriot, because you cannot be a patriot while hating half of your homeland," and has stated that both she and the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, act driven by a "blurry" hatred.
Housing and pressure on the Government
The leader of ERC has placed housing at the center of the debate, summarizing his position in the slogan 'one family, one house', against those who, in his opinion, prioritize money: "They are called PP, they are called VOX, they are called Junts, and also, sometimes, if we are not able to twist their arm, they are also the PSOE," he has pointed out, demanding greater ambition from the central Executive.
He has criticized the Government for its management during the legislature in this area and has defended that many more measures could have been promoted, such as intensifying inspections on tourist apartments, of which he claims 95% "are illegal."
Rufián has made a joke about the presence of the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, on the RTVE program 'La Revuelta', presented by David Broncano: "You look very handsome with Broncano," he said, to emphasize that, in his opinion, the Executive has wasted opportunities to act more forcefully on housing issues.
The republican has defended that it is not enough to increase the housing stock if speculation is not prohibited, and has called for sufficient support at the polls so that the first law of a "truly progressive" Government serves to ensure that every family can access a house.