In Barcelona, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and Comuns joined the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC) on 8 June 2026 to block a parliamentary appearance by President Salvador Illa. The vote stopped him from explaining his government’s handling of the teachers’ strike and allegations of corruption around the PSC.
The proposal came from Junts and asked for a formal explanation from Illa on the government’s response to the teachers’ conflict and its next steps. The source argues that, given the social tension and concern among families, the president should have addressed parliament voluntarily.
This was not the first such vote. Two weeks earlier, ERC and Comuns also backed a move to stop Illa from accounting for alleged corruption cases linked to the Socialist Party. Taken together, the two votes have prompted questions about whether the parties are acting in step with the PSC.
That question matters in Catalonia, where ERC and Comuns are not part of the formal governing coalition and do not hold ministerial posts. The source says there is no signed agreement requiring them to vote this way, and that supporting a government does not have to mean giving it blanket backing on every issue.
The article also points to ERC’s traditional support among teachers. Many of its members have worked in education, and teachers have often voted for the party. The source argues that blocking a request for Illa to explain himself, rather than asking for resignations or other major steps, may be hard for that base to accept.
For readers following Catalan politics, the key issue is whether ERC and Comuns are preserving their own profile or becoming too closely tied to the PSC. If Illa faces a wider crisis over the strike or corruption allegations, the source suggests voters may remember which parties helped shield him from scrutiny.
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