Miriam Nogueras, head of the Junts per Catalunya list for the general elections held on November 29, stated today during an exclusive interview with El País that she does not run to appoint or remove Spanish presidents.
During the conversation, she highlighted legislative achievements by the party: "Junts is the only party that has successfully passed its own laws without being part of government." She also affirmed that her main objective is not to influence national political appointments but rather to ensure that "Catalonia gains more strength and is present in any decision taken in Madrid".
Criticism of Pedro Sánchez's Government
Nogueras sharply criticized current policies under the president, arguing that over eight years of governance have led to a significant increase in living costs, especially in housing: 'The cost of living is extremely high and in terms of housing it has become disastrous, with never-before-seen shortages and ever-higher prices'.
Following this line, she noted that Spain is one of the EU countries investing the least in public housing. "It has shown it lacks both the capacity for agreements and consensus," she stated.
Stance towards the PSOE
Nogueras asserted that the Socialist Party decided to break its agreement with Junts due to failure to fulfill commitments: 'It was the Socialists who chose to end the agreement by failing to meet their obligations.'
Mentioned that during the period of agreement between Junts and the PSOE, significant advances were achieved, such as tax reductions for Catalan SMEs (10,000 million euros) and financial support to 21,000 sports clubs.
Stance towards the PP
Regarding the Partido Popular, he stated it is "absolutely controlled by Vox" and criticized its position on what he described as a "total catalanophobia." He asserted: 'The issue is not whether we feel more comfortable with one group or another; the point is that the best thing that can happen to Catalonia until it ceases being a state is that in Madrid everything depends on Catalonia.'
However, he reiterated that the decision about who will be president of Spain does not fall within the mandate of Junts nor part of their electoral campaign.
Rejection of the role of 'national representative'
Nogueras clearly emphasized: 'I am not here to appoint Spanish presidents and I do not run for presidency of Spain. I run to place Catalonia at the center.'
He also stated that the Socialist Party has never acted voluntarily in its decisions but rather due to electoral considerations: "We were aware that the PSOE did not act out of voluntary intent, but because it wanted votes."
Accusations regarding the amnesty of the former president
Nogueras rejected any direct accusation against Prime Minister Sánchez regarding a possible amnesty for Carles Puigdemont. He stated that before the July 23, 2023 elections, he himself had said 'no' to an amnesty, and recalled that then-President Illa also declared that no measure would be considered as amnesties.
However, he noted that it was Junts who "has dragged" the PSOE: %<Hemos forzado al Partido Socialista; le hemos hecho todo lo que pedimos</>'
.
Conclusion
Nogueras concluded by stating that although his party has faced strong criticism from Spanish media, this erosion is a problem of the national political landscape itself. He said: 'if putting Catalan issues at the center erodes Spanish parties, then it's their own fault. I won't even mention all the erosion and all the media power we've suffered — I'm not crying in corners.<br>"
In conclusion, he rejected any interpretation linking Junts to exclusive defense of business or owner interests, indicating that its struggle centers on fighting "the propaganda" behind the PSOE and the PP.