Jordi Domingo: “We can’t wait another two years for something to happen.”

This week, Jordi Domingo won the election for the presidency of the Council of the Catalan Republic with 65% of the votes. He secured a decisive result compared to the other candidates after a turbulent campaign. He will not be officially proclaimed in office until next week. However, we take advantage of the opportunity to speak with him for a moment in his law office to understand what his first objectives will be as the new president of the Council. He admits that he is concerned about the economic and organizational situation he will find in the institution. That is why he explains that his first priority is to conduct an in-depth assessment of the Council’s current reality to dissect the challenges ahead. However, he remains confident that, once analyzed, these issues should be resolved within a few months.

For now, Domingo does not wish to reveal the names of the individuals who will form the new government, except for Jordi Castellà, with whom he struck a last-minute deal during the campaign to join forces in his candidacy. He states that he wants highly talented individuals with international recognition to be part of his government, which will play a crucial role in the internationalization of the Catalan Republic.

—65% of voters supported you. Did you expect this result?
—Not at all. It’s a huge responsibility, but also a great incentive. I thought that if only a thousand people voted, for instance, we wouldn’t stand a chance. I believed the race would be decided between Toni Comín and Montserrat Duran, and that we weren’t even in the conversation. As voter participation increased, I started to believe we had a chance. But the sheer number of votes—almost 66% in favor—was a figure I never could have predicted.

—How do you interpret this result?
—It marks an important turning point, and I hope to be up to the challenge. It means that, despite the reputational damage the Council has suffered and the widespread disillusionment—not only with the Council but with political parties and the country’s political action in general—people have not abandoned their vision of an independent nation. Suddenly, many people turned out to vote.

—Do you already have the names of those who will join your government?
—We are working on it. I’ve always said I want internationally recognized individuals. Right now, we have ideas, but no formal confirmations. I can’t announce the government just yet. However, we are putting together a strong sub-government and an advisory council, and we are further along in that process. But I don’t want to rush anything. We will make an effort throughout the entire term to involve as many highly qualified and internationally recognized individuals as possible.

—When will the new government be announced?
—I expect it will be by the end of February or early March.

—What kind of profiles are you looking for?
—I am speaking with highly talented and well-respected individuals in their fields. The Council of the Catalan Republic is not in the best shape right now—it lacks prestige, and we are in a crisis, an economic emergency. All of this makes it difficult to attract people. However, we are working to bring in individuals who are both highly skilled and willing to contribute to the cause. I am convinced we will succeed.

—Will there be members from previous governments?
—For now, no, but I’m not ruling it out.

—Do you want to add anything else?
—We have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild the Council of the Republic. If we take advantage of it—and I say this to everyone who stood in line to vote on October 1st—if we seize this moment, nothing will stop us. We must make the Council strong enough to represent and preserve the legacy of September and October 2017. This is what the Council should be: powerful both externally and internally. And now we have a chance to make it happen. Despite the current difficulties—the financial struggles and past controversies—when elections were called, people turned out in large numbers to vote. They expressed themselves with absolute clarity. This strengthens us, but it also places a great responsibility on our shoulders. The message is clear: “We will hold you accountable.” And I welcome that. We are ready to take on this challenge, but we need the support of those who voted for us and also those who didn’t. Now is the moment. We cannot sit idly by for another two years waiting to see what happens. No, the time is now. If we fail to seize this opportunity, we will regret it forever.