On 12 September 2026, Juan Fernández, Secretary General of the Partido Popular de Catalunya, in Lleida called for an organisational and political alternative to the policies of the Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya According to Europa Press Fernández said in person that the party’s presence “at grassroots level” should be expanded in order, as he put it, to reach the “Catalunya real” that feels unrepresented by the established parties.
Fernández specifically referred to the Lleida city council under mayor Fèlix Larrosa and criticised shortcomings in public order, administrative procedures and municipal services. He presented the Partido Popular de Catalunya as a political force that would prioritise security, efficient public administration and improved municipal services. Europa Press documented the remarks, which were picked up by regional media.
The speech built on the party’s recurring positions, which since summer 2026 have increasingly focused on issues such as public safety, the division of responsibilities between the state and the Generalitat, and the financing of the autonomous community. Fernández also made clear that his party’s main concern was to expand its organisational structures — through local activity and candidate lists, for example — without making any binding statements in Lleida about coalitions at regional level.
Opponents on the social-democratic side warn of the risk that the right will exploit security and migration issues; this remained a point of political contention during Fernández’s appearance. The available reports do not provide firm evidence as to whether the PP’s strategy described here will lead to noticeable changes in local councils or the Generalitat in the short term.
The debate highlights a broader political conflict over priorities in Catalunya: while the social democrats focus on stability and social policy, the Partido Popular de Catalunya emphasises law and order and institutional efficiency. The dispute is particularly visible in Lleida, because Fernández named the city as a concrete example of the need for a “grassroots alternative”. This account is based on Europa Press reporting from 12 September 2026 and supplementary regional reports.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).