The Republican Left of Catalonia (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, ERC) is a left-of-centre political party that campaigns for independence for Catalonia from Spain.

Its basic political principles are defined in the Statement of Ideology approved at the 19th National Congress in 1993. This is organised into the three areas that give the organisation its name: Esquerra (commitment to social issues), República (commitment to the community) and Catalunya (commitment to the nation).

Led by Francesc Macià in 1931, the party declared an independent Catalan Republic that was curtailed by the new Constitution of the Second Spanish Republic.

Led by Lluís Companys, in 1934 the party declared an independent Catalan Republic, however the party leaders (including Companys) were arrested and jailed for this by the Franco regime, which would subsequently execute Companys.

In 1936 the party decided to become part of the Spanish Popular Front to contest that years election which it won. Esquerra became the leading force of the Popular Front in Catalonia and tried to maintain the unity of the Front in face of growing tensions between the POUM and Communists.

The party was declared illegal (along with all other participants in the Popular Front) by Francisco Franco after he came to power in 1939.

Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya has (2003) 23 seats (3rd group by seats) in the Catalan Parliament in Barcelona, and is now one of the three coalition members of the Catalan Government. It has 8 seats (4th group by seats) in the Spanish Parliament in Madrid (2004).

Its current president is Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira and its secretary-general is Joan Puigcercós i Boixassa.

See also

• List of political parties in Catalonia

External links

• History of ERC in their official website
• Joventuts de l'Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya Youth section's site (in Catalan)