The districts of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and L'Eixample host the largest number of Junts per Catalunya members in Barcelona, with 220 and 250 affiliates respectively, out of a total of 935 in the Catalan capital. These districts are not only internally crucial but have also been fundamental to electoral outcomes.
The massive support in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, where 40% of the district's votes were secured and one in every five total votes in the city was cast, was decisive for Xavier Trias's victory in both the 2023 and 2011 elections. Strong results in Les Corts (31.2%), L'Eixample (28.3%), and Gràcia (26.5%) also surpassed the city's average vote share (22.4%).
These areas, traditionally strongholds of CiU, show better results even in less favorable elections, such as the 2019 municipal elections. The party's challenge lies in maintaining this support above Avinguda Diagonal and consolidating votes obtained in lower areas, while also considering the national dimension of these primaries.
“"Finally, someone with a project and a team."
Within the context of internal primaries, deputy Pilar Calvo has garnered significant support, including from her lawyer, Gonzalo Boye. Other internal sources express concern over these moves, suggesting they might be promoting Calvo's candidacy and lamenting the influence of individuals close to the party's leadership.
The competition for the candidacy has focused on various profiles. While Jordi Martí, with political experience in Barcelona and the explicit backing of Xavier Trias, represented the former mayor's legacy, other candidates like Freixa (pragmatic and liberal) and Cuevillas (Puigdemont's former lawyer) have presented alternative proposals. The leadership had initially backed spokesperson Xavier Rius, who declined to participate in primaries that could expose internal divisions.
Martí claims the convergent ethos and Trias's legacy, despite having confronted the party leadership. Freixa aims to bring "fresh air" with a feminist approach, also receiving support from Barça's vice-president, Elena Fort. Cuevillas presents himself as a candidate close to the grassroots and in sync with former president Puigdemont, while Calvo boasts about "transversality" in her candidacy.
These primaries are considered potentially a "pre-congress" for the party's future governance, with the risk of becoming a "plebiscite on Puigdemont," according to prior warnings.
