Jordi Aragonès, considered the party's ideologue and a key figure in its growth, has managed to convince the party's leadership, including president Sílvia Orriols, to lead the candidacy in the Catalan capital. This decision comes after a period in which Aragonès had lost prominence following the 2024 Catalan elections.
One of the conditions imposed by Orriols to accept Aragonès's leadership in Barcelona was that this responsibility would not prevent him from being part of the party's lists for the Catalan elections scheduled for 2028. The president sees in Aragonès a profile with national projection, beyond the strictly local sphere.
Aragonès, 33, and a representative of the liberal sector within Aliança Catalana, has requested autonomy to organize his own campaign team. This team will be composed of young people from the same ideological current, including his first cousin, who was the 132nd president of the Generalitat.
Among the names being considered for the Barcelona campaign is Guillem Espaulella, a former member of the PP and columnist, who would serve as head of cabinet and campaign. The party is also actively seeking a woman for the second position on the list, a task proving complex as around 80% of the local membership is male. Jordi Amela, the regional leader, is a likely candidate for third place.
The membership has expressed satisfaction with Aragonès's appointment, seeing him as a well-known and relevant figure internally, capable of representing Orriols's voice in Barcelona. His "bourgeois style" is highlighted, which could attract voters beyond the party's traditionally rural profile. Aragonès has already begun contacting business sectors in the city and becoming active on social media, denouncing criminal incidents.
The decision has not been without difficulties, recalling previous attempts to sound out figures such as former FC Barcelona president Sandro Rosell or former minister Jaume Giró, who ultimately did not accept the proposal. The case of publicist Lluís Carrasco, who rejected the invitation, is also mentioned.
The presentation event, restricted to party members, marks another step in Aliança Catalana's organization for the municipal elections. Although polls are positive in small and medium-sized cities, Barcelona represents the party's major strategic objective, aiming to consolidate its presence in the Catalan capital.
