Violant Cervera, the current spokesperson for Junts at the Paeria, will be the party's mayoral candidate in Lleida for next year's municipal elections. She presented her candidacy to the local assembly yesterday, with party leadership approval, pending a vote by members today.
This marks Cervera's first time running for mayor. In the 2023 elections, she was second on the list behind Toni Postius. However, Cervera took over leadership of the group days after those elections. Postius did not take up his councillor position and resigned after Junts saw a worse result than in 2019. This, combined with a decline for ERC, led to Junts leaving the government, according to Segre.
Cervera's Political Background
Before joining the Paeria, Cervera served as Minister of Social Rights between 2021 and 2022. She was also a Member of Parliament from 2012 to 2018. Her extensive experience in regional and national politics positions her as a significant contender for the city's top office.
Cervera stated, "I take on this responsibility with great pride and with the desire to achieve the best possible result to win the mayoralty, which until now has never been held by a woman." She added, "I am taking this step out of commitment to the city and its people." Cervera expressed her goal to lead "a close, calm, and demanding project, focused on the daily lives of Lleida residents."
Future Plans and Competition
Cervera did not confirm whether her list would be renewed or maintain continuity, indicating she had not yet evaluated this. However, she affirmed, "I am very satisfied with the work done by the team over these three years, and what we have achieved by pressuring the government on issues we consider key for the city."
Looking ahead, Cervera will face several prominent candidates in the upcoming elections. Fèlix Larrosa of the PSC and Jordina Freixanet of ERC have also announced their intentions to run for mayor of Lleida. Xavier Palau of the PP is also highly likely to be a candidate, setting the stage for a competitive electoral contest.
