Colau invites Rufián to lead Frente Amplio candidacy in Catalonia and nationally

Colau invites Rufián to lead the list

Ada Colau, former mayor of Barcelona, on Friday invited Gabriel Rufián to join the unitary project of Frente Amplio and lead its candidacy in Catalonia and at state level. Colau is the candidate proposed by Más Madrid for the presidency of the government and also heads the list for Barcelona. Speaking to La Sexta, she said Rufián has an important role to play, pointing to his connection with citizens over recent months. She argued that the left cannot afford to lose a single vote and needs one shared proposal. She made the appeal in a personal capacity, without setting any deadline, and said she will stand wherever she would be most useful to the project. She has not yet said whether she will be the final candidate.

Rufián's silence and the ERC deadline

Rufián had stayed silent for several days before writing on X on Thursday. He said he wants to represent Esquerra Republicana, that he is trying to do so with other left and antifascist forces because 'this is not won alone', and that he will keep trying until the end. He added that he hopes ERC wants that too. He has not confirmed whether he will head ERC's list, having conditioned his continuation on a series of demands. Candidacies for ERC's primaries close on Sunday. Europa Press reported that Jordi Albert, deputy ERC spokesman in the Parlament, is collecting endorsements to be a candidate for ERC's general election lists.

Sumar keeps the door open

Verónica Martínez Barbero, co-coordinator of Movimiento Sumar and parliamentary spokesperson in Congress, called Rufián an 'immense electoral asset'. She told TVE that the group has its phones ready to take a call from him. Frente Amplio, which brings together IU, En Comú Podem, Más Madrid and Movimiento Sumar, has no candidate yet for the 29 November general elections. Martínez Barbero said the name will not be known before the official launch of the candidacy on 17 October, and that the choice will be shared by all parties. She described Rufián as having massive support among left-leaning citizens, with strong influence over young people.

We have all our phones on standby, so that if Gabriel Rufián wants to be in Frente Amplio, we can take that call.

Podemos and the one-week clock

Colau said every left force should be included, Podemos among them. Asked whether Podemos or she herself would join the alliance in their absence, she was direct about the stakes.

I cannot conceive of us not all being the left-wing forces.

She said Irene Montero must be part of the proposal, and that seven days remain to close coalitions. She urged parties to stop 'beating about the bush', warning that if the left lets people down now, 'we can all go home'. Colau said she had ruled out returning to institutional politics for the past two years, and that she is taking the step because of 'the moment we are living'.

What comes next

Sunday closes the ERC primary candidacy window, and 17 October marks the official launch of the Frente Amplio candidacy. General elections are set for 29 November. Rufián has not yet confirmed his position, and Colau has not confirmed whether she will be the candidate for the presidency.