Pro-independence bloc deal to share government led by far-left CUP in Girona
Lluc Salellas will become mayor, frustrating hopes of Socialists, who won local election
The pro-independence parties reached a deal in Girona, northeastern Catalonia, to share the local government and grant far-left Guanyem, adhered to CUP, the mayoral post.
Lluc Salellas, the head of Guanyem, will become the new mayor on Saturday, after Junts and Esquerra backed his bid, frustrating the hopes of the Socialist Party, which came first in the local election on May 28.
The leader of Junts and former universities minister, Gemma Geis, will be deputy mayor in a government that will be backed by 17 out of the 27 councilors - Esquerra's frontrunner, Quim Ayats, will also be deputy mayor of a lesser rank.
It is the first time in Girona that a party not coming first in the election ends up earning the mayorship.
The deal was confirmed on Friday, only one day before the opening plenary sessions in all municipalities, which include a vote to appoint a mayor.
Socialists and nationalist center-right, only two forces leading the Girona until now
For the first time, Guanyem, a local platform backed by far-left CUP, will lead the local council.
The Socialists led the council non-stop between 1979 and 2011, when center-right nationalist CiU's Carles Puigdemont, who would years later be Catalan president, took over.
Ever since, CiU or its heirs, PDeCAT and Junts, have had the mayoral post.
The last one to date, Marta Madrenas, decided not to run again in the 2023 local election.