Socialists' Party of Catalonia
Template:Multiple issues Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox political party
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia (Template:Langx, PSC–PSOE) is a social democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain, resulting from the merger of three parties: the Socialist Party of Catalonia–Regrouping, led by Josep Pallach i Carolà, the Socialist Party of Catalonia–Congress, and the Catalan Federation of the PSOE. It is the Catalan instance of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), and its Aranese section is Unity of Aran. The party had also been allied with federalist and republican political platform Citizens for Change (Ciutadans pel Canvi) until the 2010 election. PSC–PSOE has its power base in the Barcelona metropolitan area and the comarques of Tarragonès, Montsià, and Val d'Aran.
Party leaders
First Secretaries
- Joan Reventós, 1978–1983
- Raimon Obiols, 1983–1996
- Narcís Serra, 1996–2000
- José Montilla, 2000–2011
- Pere Navarro, 2011–2014
- Miquel Iceta, 2014–2021
- Salvador Illa, 2021–present
Presidents
- Joan Reventós, 1983–1996
- Raimon Obiols, 1996–2000
- Pasqual Maragall, 2000–2007
- José Montilla, 2007–2008 (acting)
- Isidre Molas, 2008–2011
- Àngel Ros, 2014–2019
- Núria Marín, 2019–2021
- Miquel Iceta, 2021–present
Political positions
Economic and social issues
Environment
The party advocates for the preservation of the natural environment by implementing sustainable development strategies that promote economic advancement and the welfare of everyone.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Market Economy
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia promotes "individual initiative, entrepreneurial freedom, and innovation within the context of a socially accountable market."<ref name=":0" />
Foreign policy
European Union
The PSC promotes the European Union and its expansion to the Mediterranean. They believe in a reform policy in the goal to achieve an inclusive and cohesive society.<ref name=":0" />
National identity and the territorial question
The PSC is considered to be a catalanist party and as such it defends the nature of Catalonia as a nation, and uses the word "country" to refer to Catalonia in public regularly.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, the PSC is openly against Catalan independence and proposes a federalist solution to the Catalan territorial question, seeking to build a federal Spanish State with guaranteed recognition for the nationhood of Catalonia, further devolution to the Catalan Government and the official recognition of Spanish multilingualism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They largely adhere to the territorial project of their associate, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but they are considered to be the most federalist and peripheral nationalist in their political space. Because of this position they are considered to occupy a central position in Catalan politics which allow them to form coalitions with both openly pro-independence parties such as ERC<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or Junts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and more hardline pro-Spanish parties like the PP.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Despite this, the PSC, given its origins as a big-tent merger of all Catalan social-democrats, has a diversity of opinions when it comes to the Catalan national question, with some sectors being considered more overtly Catalan nationalist and some others more clearly Spanish unionist but always within the framework of catalanism and Spanish federalism that the party advocates for.
Language policy
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia advocates for a Catalan-favoring language policy and the promotion of the usage of the Catalan language. As such, they are in favor of Catalan immersion in schools, a Catalan-dominated linguistic landscape and the bettering of knowledge and public usage of the Catalan language.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first Minister for Linguistic Policy of the history of the Catalan Government was nominated by the party, albeit following an agreement with the Republican Left of Catalonia.<ref name=":1" /> They mainly use Catalan in their messaging and governments that they participate in or lead usually pass pro-Catalan language legislation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite this, they have a large Spanish-speaking voting base and therefore the Spanish language is also used by the party in political rallies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Given this dualism they are considered to be less committed to the language question than pro-independence parties or parties like Catalunya en Comú.
Electoral performance
Parliament of Catalonia
Cortes Generales
European Parliament
| European Parliament | |||
| Election | Catalonia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ||
| 1987 | 1,116,348 | 36.8 (#1) | |
| 1989 | 865,506 | 36.4 (#1) | |
| 1994 | 721,374 | 28.2 (#2) | |
| 1999 | 997,311 | 34.6 (#1) | |
| 2004 | 907,121 | 42.9 (#1) | |
| 2009 | 708,888 | 36.0 (#1) | |
| 2014 | 359,214 | 14.3 (#3) | |
| 2019 | 756,231 | 22.1 (#2) | |
| 2024 | 734,741 | 30.6 (#1) | |
See also
- Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
- Socialist Party of Catalonia-Congress
- List of political parties in Catalonia
Notes
References
External links
Template:Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Template:Catalan political parties Template:Spanish political parties Template:Authority control