Salvador Illa did not expect half a year ago that things would also go well for him in the presidency. He acknowledged this this Monday, in a somewhat relaxed tone, in what will be his last press conference of the year. After an electoral result that could have become a headache, in the last six months Illa has managed to form the Government alone and build a parliamentary majority that, a priori, seems solid. A new stage, therefore, which, as described, “allows us to leave behind the suffering” of the process.
Salvador Illa’s objective at the start of 2025 is to continue advancing in the same direction and through the same majorities. For this reason, it is preparing for a budget negotiation with ERC and the Comuns, who in the Government are aware that it may not be resolved as quickly as they would like, especially due to the wishes of the new Republican leadership of Oriol Junqueras to take their foot off the accelerator. .
“What I want is for there to be budgets and my government will do everything in its power, we will not get up from the table,” Illa assured, after ensuring that her Minister of Economy, Alicia Romero, will begin a round of matches on next month
With the extended accounts, the president has stated, there is no reason to worry about not starting the year with approved budgets. “Public services are guaranteed and will function normally,” he indicated.
Illa is very aware of the minority situation in which her Executive finds itself, which needs to have two partners like ERC and Comuns, who each have their own interests and internal situations. That is why the socialist has avoided putting pressure on Junqueras, with whom he has said he wants to meet in the early stages of 2025.
“There is no urgency, there is serenity and clear ideas,” Illa concluded, with a message that aims to clear up the budget negotiation but that, at the same time, demonstrates the extent to which they are aware of the difficulty of fitting all the pieces together in Barcelona. and in Madrid.
On this last question, the socialists know that Junts will not be their allies in Parliament, but they necessarily have to be in the context of Congress, where the general budgets depend on Carles Puigdemont. After the Junts leader showed his discontent with the relationship with the Government, his rejection of budget negotiations and his desire to meet with the socialist leaders, this Monday both Pedro Sánchez and Salvador Illa sent him conciliatory messages.
“I don’t know exactly when I will meet, but obviously I will meet with the leaders of both Esquerra Republicana and Junts,” said Pedro Sánchez, opening the door for the first time to meet with Puigdemont. Illa has gone one step further and has assured that he did not rule out a meeting with the former president in Belgium, something that until now he had always avoided, in addition to ensuring that Puigdemont should spend Christmas “at home.”
“I would like you to [Puigdemont] could enjoy what our deputies have voted for in Madrid,” said Illa, referring to the amnesty law. Regarding his non-compliance, the president recalled that he has always shown his respect for the Judiciary. “We now ask for the same respect in this case for the Legislative Branch, which has approved the law,” Illa said.
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