Socialists' Party of Catalonia

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.

Market Economy

The Socialists' Party of Catalonia promotes "individual initiative, entrepreneurial freedom, and innovation within the context of a socially accountable market."

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.

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. 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. They largely adhere to the territorial project of their associate, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, 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 or Junts and more hardline pro-Spanish parties like the PP.

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. 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. They mainly use Catalan in their messaging and governments that they participate in or lead usually pass pro-Catalan language legislation. Despite this, they have a large Spanish-speaking voting base and therefore the Spanish language is also used by the party in political rallies. 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

Notes

References

References

1. (4 November 2023). "Las bases del PSOE ratifican el acuerdo con Sumar y el independentismo con un respaldo del 87%".
2. (7 January 2014). "El nacionalismo dice "no" al federalismo de Rubalcaba y Navarro".
3. (3 December 2010). "¿Por qué el PSC es "catalanista"?". El País.
4. (29 December 2017). "Catalonia's Elections Take Spain Back to Square One". [[The Nation]].
5. "Grup Parlamentari Socialistes i Units per Avançar". [[Parliament of Catalonia]].
6. "Coneix-nos".
7. 324cat. (2024-09-10). "Salvador Illa, en el discurs de la Diada: "Tothom que ve a millorar Catalunya és català"".
8. "Proposta de resolució - Ara Toca Catalunya".
9. "Document de treball de la Fundació Rafael Campalans - Per una reforma constitucional federal".
10. "Congreso resolución política".
11. "Acord d’investidura entre el partit dels socialistes de Catalunya i esquerra republicana de Catalunya".
12. (2019-07-11). "Ple de Constitució de la Diputació de Barcelona 2019 {{!}} betevé".
13. Guiu, Gerard Pruna, Núria Orriols. (2023-06-17). "Collboni, nou alcalde de Barcelona amb els vots dels comuns i el PP".
14. "El Govern aprova el Pacte Nacional per la Llengua, amb full de ruta fins el 2030 i pressupost històric per al 2025".
15. Mir, Xavier Barberà. (2025-05-13). "El Govern i una àmplia representació políticosocial signen el Pacte Nacional per la Llengua".
16. Tedó, Xavi. (2024-05-03). "De Lérida a Bajo Llobregat: els dos lapsus lingüístics d'Illa en campanya".