Raül Romeva to head joint list

Raül Romeva, Carme Forcadell, and Muriel Casals. These are the three names that will lead the independence list agreed to by CDC, ERC and the pro-independence organizations so as to run together in the elections of 27 September (27-S), as confirmed to ARA by sources close to the negotiation. This resolves the mystery of what figures from civil society will headline the candidate lists ahead of Artur Mas and Oriol Junqueras, who will take the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

Romeva quit left-leaning Iniciativa per Catalunya-Verds (ICV) a few months ago, disappointed with the national direction of the party. He also served as a European MP for a decade. Forcadell was president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) until May 16th, when Jordi Sànchez took over the leadership of the organization. Casals has been president of Òmnium Cultural since 2010 and, in fact, her first task in this position was to lead the 10-J demonstration against the challenge to the Catalan Statute.

CDC, ERC, and the grassroots organizations yesterday agreed to devise a list that reserves the first three slots in Barcelona for the organizations --those will be occupied by Romeva, Forcadell, and Casals-- and positions 4 and 5 for Mas and Junqueras. Positions 6 and 7 will also be reserved for unaffiliated candidates. From there on the positions will be divided 60%-40% between CDC and ERC. The top candidate and their number 2 for Lleida, Tarragona, and Girona will be proposed by the civil society organizations.