The party has called for primaries this Saturday and Sunday, where members can cast their vote electronically. The final decision on who will head the city's candidacy will be announced on Sunday afternoon, with a press conference scheduled for 7:30 PM by Secretary General Jordi Turull, alongside the winner.
Initially, Junts' leadership intended to avoid this internal process and sought a consensus candidate with media appeal to succeed former mayor Xavier Trias. The operation did not succeed, and the current president of the municipal group, Jordi Martí Galbis, announced his intention to run, with the support of Trias.
Martí Galbis's candidacy was one of the first moves. Subsequently, the other names began to put themselves forward. Pilar Calvo, a member of Congress, has received internal support from the party's top brass and figures close to Carles Puigdemont, such as his lawyer Gonzalo Boye. Glòria Freixa, a current deputy and member of the Parliament's bureau, also decided to run, despite Calvo's attempts to recruit her.
Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, a former deputy and ex-lawyer for Carles Puigdemont, was the last to formalize his candidacy. According to his statements, a part of the party's leadership has tried to persuade him to withdraw his bid, but these attempts have been unsuccessful.
These primaries in Barcelona are also being interpreted in a national context. The possibility that Pilar Calvo, considered close to the leadership, might not win generates anticipation about potential internal interpretations. The aim is to prevent the outcome from becoming a plebiscite on Carles Puigdemont, as Alonso-Cuevillas himself has expressed.
