The Catalan government led by Salvador Illa has dismissed the idea of early elections despite the potential failure to pass the budget for the second consecutive year.
The potential for early elections in Catalonia has diminished, as the Economy Minister, Alícia Romero, has firmly ruled out this option during a recent statement. She noted that even if the Generalitat's budget is not approved for a second year in a row, there are still two years left in the current legislative term. The implications of calling for elections would create more uncertainty amid ongoing economic concerns tied to inflation exacerbated by the Middle Eastern conflict.
Romero emphasized the stability that a government with a full term can provide, contrasting with the anxieties that elections would provoke during a time when economic forecasts are already challenging. Her statements reflect a strategic choice by the socialists to maintain continuity in governance and avoid potential pitfalls associated with premature electoral calls, particularly given the unpredictable political landscape.
Oriol Junqueras, the president of ERC, has also publicly cautioned Illa against the risks of pushing for elections, indicating that such a move might jeopardize future support from ERC for his government. This internal pressure further complicates the situation for the PSC, with sources from ERC suggesting that early elections could be detrimental to Illa and his party, framing it as a potential political misstep in a time of crisis.
