Catalan politics shifts as ERC gains centrality over CUP

The political relationship between the CUP and Esquerra Republicana (ERC) has undergone a significant shift in the wake of the October 1, 2017, independence movement in Catalonia. Rather than a stable alliance or a relationship of organic submission, the dynamic represents a displacement of the independence movement's center of gravity.

While the CUP sought to maintain the hypothesis of a rupture and implement the mandate from the 2017 referendum, Catalan politics has progressively returned to institutional negotiation and regional management. This shift has allowed ERC to acquire a central role, forcing the CUP to repeatedly redefine its position relative to the party's institutional approach.