PODCAST: Catalan election - winners, losers, and what's next

Who will lead the next government? And will this be a turning point for the independence movement?

Salvador Illa (left) and Pere Aragonès (right), the presidential candidates of the Socialists and Esquerra
Salvador Illa (left) and Pere Aragonès (right), the presidential candidates of the Socialists and Esquerra / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

February 15, 2021 03:51 PM

September 19, 2022 07:29 PM

 

The Catalan election is over, but how the extremely fragmented results will translate into the next government is up in the air. Episode 15 of Filling the Sink, recorded in the wake of a fresh political cycle, brings you everything you need to know about the election winners, the biggest losers, and what lies ahead. Press play below to listen or subscribe on Apple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts or Spotify.

Held amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the Catalan election turnout dropped to a historic 53%, but the stakes couldn’t be higher for the next parliament. While the Socialists won the most votes, they tied with Esquerra in number of seats, and pro-independence parties combined surpassed 50% of the vote for the first time.

Who will lead the next government? Will this be a turning point for the independence movement? And how to explain the stunning rise of the far right, entering parliament for the first time with 11 seats?

Lorcan Doherty puts these questions to Catalan News deputy editor Guifré Jordan and ACN political reporter Gerard Artigas, and Cristina Tomàs White reports on a nail-biting election night.

Listen to more episodes of Filling the Sink below.