Internal Rift in Tarragona: Junts Membership Pushes for Primaries Amid Leadership Clash

The internal stability of Junts in Tarragona is facing a critical test as a divide grows between the party’s local membership and its leadership. At the center of the conflict is a demand for a referendum or primary elections to determine the party’s mayoral candidate for the 2027 municipal elections, a move the party leadership is actively trying to avoid to prevent further fragmentation.

Jordi Sendra, the spokesperson for Junts in the Tarragona City Council, previously asserted his intention to lead the party into the next election cycle. In May 2025, Sendra stated that he would be the candidate for 2027, provided he passed the necessary internal processes. This declaration came shortly after the party’s high-profile decision to reject a pact that would have seen them enter the municipal government.

While Sendra once appeared to have no visible rivals for the leadership, the landscape has shifted. A critical sector of the party has now rallied around Roger Baiges, a lawyer who has emerged as the primary alternative to Sendra. This emergence has galvanized two opposing factions within the party, both of whom are now calling for primaries to allow the Tarragona membership to decide the leadership directly.

Leadership Resistance and the Search for Consensus

The party leadership is reportedly highly reluctant to authorize primaries, not only in Tarragona but across Catalonia. The primary concern is the risk of deepening internal divisions. To steer clear of a divisive vote, the leadership has explored “third ways,” attempting to identify a consensus candidate who could satisfy both wings of the membership.

However, these efforts have so far failed. The alternative candidates proposed by the leadership have not gained traction with either side of the internal divide, leaving the party in a deadlock between the membership’s desire for a democratic vote and the leadership’s preference for a negotiated settlement.

The Backdrop: The Failed PSC Pact

The current instability is rooted in the events of May 12, 2025, when Junts officially decided not to enter the government of Tarragona and refused to pact with the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party). During a press conference, Jordi Sendra argued that although an understanding had been reached with the socialists, the resulting executive would lack the absolute majority required to guarantee stability.

Sendra also cited national-level discrepancies, specifically pointing to the PSC’s “descatalanizadora” agenda. He noted that reflections with party members, including Carles Puigdemont, were pivotal in the decision to remain in the opposition. Despite this, Sendra maintained that his two years in opposition were a success, claiming that Junts had “moved the PSC out of its comfort zone” through strategic pacts.

The failed negotiations left Mayor Rubén Viñuales with a lean executive, governing with only nine councilors out of a total of 27 in the plenary. Viñuales had originally sought a tripartite agreement that included En Comú Podem, an option the progressives consistently rejected.

Collateral Damage and the Case of Elvira Vidal

The tension surrounding the PSC negotiations triggered a separate internal crisis. By August 2025, the municipal group was further weakened by the departure of Elvira Vidal, the former number two on the party list. Vidal’s exit left the group with only two councilors in the second half of May.

Vidal has since made multiple public accusations against the party and Jordi Sendra, which party sources have dismissed as false. While Junts leaders claim to have handled the situation with elegance, the party has repeatedly requested that Vidal return her councilor status following the split—a request she has refused. The municipal group is now considering declaring her a defector to have the City Council formally recognize the case.

What’s Next for Junts in Tarragona

The party now faces a precarious balance. With the 2027 elections looming, the leadership must decide whether to yield to the membership’s demand for primaries or continue pushing for a consensus candidate that has yet to materialize. The resolution of this power struggle between the Sendra and Baiges camps will likely determine the party’s viability and unity heading into the next municipal cycle.

The next official checkpoint will be the party’s internal determination on the candidate selection process for the 2027 elections.

Do you believe internal primaries are the best way to resolve party leadership disputes? Share your thoughts in the comments.