Euskal Herria Bildu and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya will once again run on joint lists for the 29 November 2026 in the Spanish parliamentary elections on Senate Both parties confirmed their decision in a coordinated statement on 10 October, explaining that their aim was to unite forces to defend national rights of Basque Country and Catalonia to expand social rights and oppose a camp they describe as “reactionary”.
The fight against the housing shortage is identified as a political priority. EH Bildu and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya point to their cooperation in the Senate since 2023 and see the joint list as a useful way to represent their voters’ interests more effectively. They refer specifically to “the accumulation of forces” — a strategy intended to prevent regional votes being split between competing candidates in Senate elections, which are largely based on individual candidates.
Spain’s second chamber, the Senate, is elected largely by direct vote in the provinces; the remaining seats are appointed by the Autonomous Communities. In each province, voters can cast votes for several individual candidates. Alliances such as that between Euskal Herria Bildu and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya therefore aim to improve their chances of winning directly elected seats in selected constituencies.
The move comes amid expectations of close majorities. According to party sources, other left-wing forces are also considering cooperation on Senate candidacies. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) is considering agreements in some provinces to avoid falling behind the Partido Popular The authority responsible for deadlines for registering coalitions and lists is the Junta Electoral Central.
Observers see the renewed alliance chiefly as a tactical adjustment to the logic of Senate elections and as a signal to the parties’ supporters in Catalonia and the Basque Country. The actual impact of the joint lists will only become clear on election night. Claims about future seat numbers, majorities or resulting agreements in the Senate remain speculative before the vote.
The announcement follows the cooperation practised during the previous parliamentary term, without disclosing any new detailed policy agreements. The focus is on formally reviving the formula tested in 2023, with the stated aim of securing or increasing the influence of the sovereigntist left in the Senate.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).