Urtasun intensifies his acts in Catalonia as Minister of Culture to reimprorate Comuns | News from Catalonia
When after thinking a lot, Ernest Urtasun He accepted at the end of 2023 being Minister of Culture of the Government of Pedro Sánchez, the Comunas dome, his training, asked him to have a lot of presence in Catalonia. In a moment of political uncertainty after losing the Barcelona City Counciltheir main fief in the community, the commons understood that the figure of Urtasun could be important for the electoral rearme. And with one foot in Madrid and the other in Barcelona, Urtasun has fulfilled this request. There is no other member of the Council of Ministers that has concentrated so much visits in Catalonia in the last month: five of the last 13 national commitments on their government agenda have been held in Catalan territory.
Visits are added several draft ads in recent months: The purchase of the iconic Gomis de la Ricarda house, next to the El Prat airportby the Ministry of Culture (it will be an important piece in the future remodeling of airport infrastructure); The reopening at the end of 2026 of the National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona (MNAT), closed since 2018; and the authorization for the hiring of the public works of the future State Library in Barcelonawhich will also mark the ministry agenda in Catalonia in the medium and long term.
« We wanted to make visible training through a Catalan minister who had a presence in the government, » explains a source of Comuns. « Here people already know that Ernest is the Minister of Culture, but surely he does not know what Jordi Hereu (Socialist Minister of Industry, the other Catalan responsible for the Government), compares. Time seems to endorse this idea: the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) assured in January 2024, In its first barometerthat only 22% of the population knew Hereu (former mayor of Barcelona) and Urtasun; while the last, Posted last weekIt determines 33% for the Minister of Commons and 27% for the socialist. « Ernest knows from the first day that it is important that he comes, » insists the same source.
Without the hyperlide of Ada Colau (he left the City Council of Barcelona at the end of 2024 and are not clear what his plans are after not revalidating the mayor’s office in the last elections); After losing two deputies in the Parliament of Catalonia (it went from eight to six, but Illa needs them to carry out their projects) and be overcome by Podemos in the European (that Sorpasso It only happened in Catalonia), the lack of referents has forced Comuns to make their two most recognizable faces profitable: Jéssica Albiach, leader in the Parliament; and Ernest Urtasun in the government. « Ernest and I moved the institutional policy forward; and the coordinators (Gemma Tarafa, governor in Barcelona; and Candela López, deputy in Congress), the day -to -day life of the party, » said Albiach in an interview with El País. « We do not want to foster hyperliderazgos. A feminist organization tries to distribute responsibility and visibility. ”
The parliamentary arithmetic in Catalonia has allowed Comuns, and specifically to Albiach, to be decisive in the Catalan legislative agenda, since its deputies are essential for the PSC and ERC to reach the absolute majority. At the same time, Urtasun reinforces from Madrid the messages of the housing party, the Matrix folder of the Commons. « We urge the PSOE to unlock the regulation of seasonal rental in the state, » the minister asked two weeks ago in another visit to Barcelona. Urtasun has been the visible face of adding in negotiations with the PSOE on the Omnibus or Housing decrees; And the recipe seems to bear the first fruits in Catalonia: the last barometer of the center d’Estudis d’Enalió raises an electoral rebound of up to 8% of support (obtained 5.8% in 2024) in eventual autonomic elections. « Little by little the electorate returns, » they celebrate from the parliamentary group.
After developing the bulk of his political career in the European Parliament (he was deputy in Brussels between 2014 and 2023), Urtasun jumped to the national board when he was chosen by Yolanda Díaz as spokesman to add for the general elections of 2023. The movement sought to strengthen the project with a Europeanist and ecologist profile and link with the Catalonia of the Catalonia postproéswhere a good part of the electoral options of the confluence resided. With seven of the 31 deputies obtained in Catalonia, the community was with Madrid the main trampoline of Díaz to be able to reissue the government coalition.
Comuns’ first commitment to enter the Council of Ministers was Ada Colau. But after the refusal of the former mayor of Barcelona, the figure of Urtasun reappeared. « It was hard to convince and get it out of Brussels, » they admit from the formation. « He loves European politics, he had his life there and current politics has a personal cost, » explain those who know him.
Formed at the French Lyceum of Barcelona, one of the most prestigious schools in the city; Bachelor of Economics and Diplomat of Carrera, the growth of Urtasun on the political board opens the questions about his future in the party; But his companions doubt their interest to make the leap to Catalonia. « It is not your world, » replies a parliamentary source. « He could be in any embassy, and believes that he would not be a good candidate, » he closes on the Minister of Culture.
