Convergents (political party)

Convergents (Catalan: Convergents, CNV) is a Catalan political party founded in November 2017 by former regional justice minister in Artur Mas's second government Germà Gordó,[1][2] who had left the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) in June 2017.[3] The party includes former Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) members Teresa Maria Pitarch and (until 2020) Sílvia Requena.

Convergents
AbbreviationCNV
PresidentGermà Gordó
Secretary-GeneralTeresa Maria Pitarch
Founded7 November 2017 (2017-11-07)
Registered17 November 2017 (2017-11-17)
Split fromCatalan European Democratic Party
HeadquartersRambla Catalunya, 18, 6ª
08007, Barcelona
IdeologyCatalan nationalism
Christian democracy
Liberalism
Social democracy
Political positionCentre
Colors  Blue
  Orange
Local government (2019–2023)
21 / 9,077
Website
www.convergents.org

Convergents identifies itself as a party of "pragmatic sovereigntists".[4]

History

The party was formed shortly before the 2017 Catalan regional election by former regional minister of justice Germà Gordó, who had left the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) in June 2017 following pressures from other parties in the Junts pel Sí parliamentary group for Gordó to vacate his seat after his indictment in the 3% corruption scandal affecting the late Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC).[3] It was initially founded as the New Convergence (Catalan: Nova Convergència) political platform,[5][6] then registered as a party in the interior ministry under the name "Convergents".[7] However, the party's lists failed to pass validation by the Electoral Commission and were not proclaimed, resulting in the party being ultimately excluded from the election.[8] In 2019, the party contested the April general election and the May local elections[9][10]—signing local alliances with United to Advance (Els Units) and Free (Lliures) in Sant Cugat del Vallés and Castelldefels[11]—obtaining poor results. In July 2020, Sílvia Requena left the party to become the Democratic League (DC)'s new secretary-general.[12][13]

Ahead of the next Catalan regional election, the party started exploring possible alliances with the PDeCAT, LD and "The Country of Tomorrow" platform (later to become the Nationalist Party of Catalonia (PNC)).[14] On 15 July 2020, it was announced that the party would be forming an electoral alliance with Lliures and LD to contest the upcoming regional election,[15] on the basis of a joint programme pushing for an expansion of Catalan self-government and a solidary fiscal agreement, as well as opposing unilateralism.[4][16]

Electoral performance

Nationwide
Cortes Generales
Election Congress Senate Leading candidate Status in legislature
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
2019 (Apr) 2,541 0.01% 39th
0 / 350
 0
0 / 208
 0 Sílvia Requena No seats

Regional breakdown
Election Catalonia
Congress Senate
Votes % # Seats +/– Seats +/–
2019 (Apr) 2,541 0.06% 13th
0 / 48
 0
0 / 16
 0

References
  1. "Teresa Pitarch i Germà Gordó encapçalen la llista de Convergents per al 21-D". Ara (in Catalan). Barcelona. EFE. 18 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  2. "Registro de Partidos Políticos". sede.mir.gob.es (in Spanish). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  3. Sallés, Quico; B. García, Luis (6 June 2017). "Germà Gordó se queda como diputado y pide la baja del PDeCAT". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  4. González, David (14 July 2020). "Convergentes, Lliga Democràtica y Lliures acuerdan un programa electoral común". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  5. "Nova Convergència pide a Gordó que deje el PDeCAT y sea diputado no adscrito". La Razón (in Spanish). 2 June 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. "Gordó concurrirá a las elecciones con su nuevo partido Nova Convergència". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Europa Press. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  7. "Nova Convergència se inscribe como 'Convergents' en el registro de partidos para el 21-D". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. "El partido de Gordó, excluido del 21-D". El Nacional (in Spanish). Barcelona. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. Manchón, Manel (25 March 2019). "Convergents, el partido de Germà Gordó, se presenta el 28A". Crónica Global (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  10. Anguera de Sojo, Iva (21 April 2019). "Los disidentes de CiU que también concurren a las elecciones el 28-A". El Independiente (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  11. "Units, Lliures y Convergents irán juntos en las municipales en Sant Cugat y Castelldefels". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Europa Press. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  12. Pardo Torregrosa, Iñaki (1 July 2020). "Sílvia Requena se incorpora a la Lliga Democràtica como secretaria general". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  13. "Lliga Democràtica sitúa a una exdirigente de Convergents como secretaria general" (in Spanish). Barcelona: Europa Press. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  14. "Convergents explora alianzas con PDeCAT, La Lliga y El País de Demà para las elecciones" (in Spanish). Barcelona: Europa Press. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  15. "La Lliga, Lliures y Convergents se presentarán juntos a las elecciones". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Barcelona. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  16. "Convergents, Lliga y Lliures ultiman una propuesta de mejora del autogobierno". Crónica Global (in Spanish). 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
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