It has been more than a year since Pedro Sánchez presented a concept in the middle of the closing of the Barcelona municipal election campaign: “Three in a row.” He repeated it until he got bored, referring to the Barcelona mayor’s achievement. Jaume Colboni, General Presidency with Salvador Illa And the presidency of the Spanish government with himself. Three in a row.
at that time, Only his presidency was real, I still don’t know that those same municipalities will lead to new elections in July with a PP-VOX government looming.
But finally, after a year, three elections were held (municipal, general and Catalan). The three socialisms in a row have already become a reality: Generalitat, Spanish Government and Barcelona City Council.
Almost as powerful as it was 15 years ago.
The Socialists are back to the same level of power they had at their peak more than 15 years ago. In office: Between 2003 and 2010, with Pascual Maragall and Jose Montilla, I am the shape, With Salvador Ella.
To the Spanish government with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero Between 2004 and 2011, and since 2018 with Pedro Sanchez. In Barcelona City Council, with Joan Clos and Jordi Hereu Until 2010, and now with Jaume Colboni From June 2023.
In all three historical periods, they had a Diputació de Barcelona. But now, they do not have the same number of mayors among the 20 cities with the largest population after Barcelona: 17 and 18 mayors between 2003 and 2010, and now 13, although some important cities have been recovered.
In fact, they recovered historical fiefdoms that they had lost such as Sabadell, Lleida, Tarragona and others such as Reus, Vilanova and La Geltrú. On the other hand, in these two decades they lost other important ones such as Terrassa, Badalona, Girona, Manresa or Castelldefels.
But overall, it is a phoenix-worthy rise after losing so much power over the past decade of the process and breaking with some of its visible faces in the ranks of the Catalan Socialists.
The big difference: smaller majorities
The difference between power now and that of two decades ago is in the majority. Despite the passage of 20 years, The state adopted the tripartite with Esquerra Republica and Iniciativa, The Spanish government and Barcelona City Council have a more stable and solid majority. Now They rely on the pacts and balances in both Spain and Barcelona, While in reality they did not win any of the elections and came to power through unexpected twists of the scenario.
Ironically, the place where they will face the most difficulty is House of Representatives, where the SWP needs all the votes of the Assembly. There is no coordination or balance with the right-wing party, as there is with the left in the Barcelona City Council or the General State, despite not sharing the government.
The next most pressing challenge, which will be the hot potato of the new school year, is the approval of the state’s general budgets, to maintain the basic pillar that supports them and allows them to do three in a row.
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