Orriols hails political shift after housing vote
Sílvia Orriols, leader of Aliança Catalana (AC) and mayor of Ripoll, has claimed responsibility for helping to bring down the Spanish government, stating she achieved this "without leaving Catalonia". In a post on X following Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's announcement of a snap general election for 29 November, Orriols said: "I have brought down the Spanish government without leaving Catalonia. and without leaving Catalonia we will restore a free, prosperous, secure and Western Catalan State." Her comments follow Junts' decision to reject two key housing decrees backed by Sánchez’s government, a move that broke the ruling coalition’s parliamentary majority. On 1 October, Junts joined forces with the conservative People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox to block legislation aimed at suspending evictions and regulating indefinite rental contracts, according to reports from Ara and El País. The defeat prompted Sánchez to begin a period of reflection over whether to call early elections, a decision he confirmed days later.
Pressure builds within Catalan politics
Orriols’ rise has coincided with growing internal pressure on Junts, which has shifted its stance on immigration and housing policy amid rising support for AC in opinion polls. According to polling cited by The Objective, AC could win 10–11 seats in a future Catalan election, largely at Junts’ expense. This shift was underscored during a recent plenary debate in the Catalan Parliament, where Orriols criticised the regional government for prioritising "multicultural narrative" over public services, citing overcrowding in healthcare and education, transport failures, and the murder of Carles Vilajosana in Manresa as consequences.
"We can change everything without leaving Catalonia,"
Junts, once seen as the dominant pro-independence force, now faces fragmentation. Internal tensions were evident when Miriam Nogueras, a prominent Junts MP, questioned Sánchez about government stability during a 14 September congressional session, seen by analysts as an implicit ultimatum. Days later, the party refused to back the housing decrees unless revised, ultimately voting against them alongside PP and Vox.
Sánchez warned lawmakers they would be judged for their actions, saying: "History will judge you more harshly than you imagine," during a speech at Congress. Socialist sources argue that blocking housing reform misreads public concern, with housing cited as a top priority among voters. The prime minister’s decision to call elections signals the collapse of his legislative alliance, one increasingly strained by shifts in Catalan politics driven by parties like AC. Residents across Catalonia may now face a period of heightened political uncertainty as national campaigning begins. With Orriols positioning her party as a transformative force within Spain’s constitutional framework, the upcoming elections could reshape both regional and national dynamics.
Reported by racocatala.cat, theobjective.com, en.ara.cat, Departament d'Edicions del Parlament de Catalunya, larazon.es, xcatalunya.cat, elpais.com, eldebate.com, Newsroom Infobae, elliberal.cat, Parlament de Catalunya, euronews.com, publico.es, rtve.es, Racó Català.
