ERC prepares fallback candidacies as Gabriel Rufián delays 29N election decision
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya has begun vetting alternative candidates for the 29 November election after spokesperson Gabriel Rufián refused to confirm his spot on the Barcelona ticket without greater operational control.
Tensions over the Barcelona ticket
Negotiations between the leadership of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and its parliamentary spokesperson in Madrid, Gabriel Rufián, reached an impasse ahead of the general election scheduled for 29 November 2026. Party president Oriol Junqueras maintains that Rufián remains the preferred choice to lead the electoral ticket for Barcelona. However, Rufián has conditioned his candidacy on receiving full authority over list composition, selection of technical staff, and strategic independence for the parliamentary group in Madrid. He has also advocated for joining forces with broader left-wing coalitions, an approach at odds with the party hierarchy's focus on Catalonian priorities. While Junqueras previously expressed confidence in Rufián heading the slate, party executives have refused to concede unilateral control over list appointments.
He will surely be the candidate.
Albert enters the nomination process
Faced with the possibility of Rufián declining to run, party officials began preparing alternative options. On 8 October 2026, Jordi Albert, deputy spokesperson for ERC in the Catalan Parliament, announced that he had begun gathering endorsements to join the congressional list. Albert served as a municipal councillor in Sant Andreu de la Barca from 2007 to 2019 before entering the Catalan Parliament in 2018. Although party leadership stated that Albert is officially seeking endorsements to represent the Baix Llobregat territorial federation, party insiders view him as a potential substitute if talks with Rufián break down entirely. To secure a place representing his local branch, Albert must obtain backing from 3% of affiliated members in that territorial district.
- ERC activates internal nomination procedure following early election call
- Jordi Albert begins collecting endorsements for candidate list
- Filing deadline for candidate endorsement submissions closes
- Primary elections conclude if multiple candidates contest the leadership
- Party executive drafts definitive candidate lists for National Council approval
- Spanish general elections take place across all electoral districts
Internal calendar and primary rules
ERC initiated its internal nomination timetable on 6 October 2026 following the announcement of early elections. Aspiring candidates seeking to head the Barcelona slate must gather nearly 400 endorsements, representing 5% of total party membership, before the filing window closes at 18:00 on Sunday, 11 October 2026. Alternatively, a candidate can secure nomination by obtaining support from one-third of the party executive or one-quarter of the National Council. If only a single candidate files, that person will receive automatic endorsement without a primary contest. Should multiple candidates run, voting will culminate on 17 October 2026. The party executive will then assemble the definitive candidacies on 20 October 2026, submitting them to the National Council for final ratification.
Lawmakers exit as regional slates form
Internal friction coincided with several senior ERC parliamentarians stepping down from national elective politics. Jordi Salvador and Pilar Vallugera, two of the seven ERC deputies serving in the Congress of Deputies, confirmed they will not seek re-election on 29 November 2026.
Offices end. Convictions do not.
Senate spokesperson Sara Bailac also announced her departure from the upper chamber after two legislative terms, allowing Castelló de Farfanya mayor Omar Noumri to seek her seat. Meanwhile, female candidates have stepped forward to lead lists across Catalonia's other three provinces. Inés Granollers will head the ticket in Lleida, Norma Pujol in Tarragona, and Teresa Jordà faces a challenge from Etna Estrems in Girona.
