Brave (Catalan: Valents), founded as Barcelona for Change (Catalan: Barcelona pel Canvi), was a political party in Catalonia, founded by former Prime Minister of France Manuel Valls to contest the 2019 Barcelona City Council election.[1] A month after the elections, BCNCanvi and Cs broke their collaboration in the Barcelona City Council, forming two separate groups in the city council, with 4 councillors for Cs and 2 for BCNcanvi.[2][3][4]

Brave
Valents
PresidentEva Parera
Secretary GeneralAlbert Guivernau
FounderManuel Valls
Founded28 March 2019 (2019-03-28)
Dissolved15 July 2023
HeadquartersPlaça de Sant Jaume, 1, planta 2
08002, Barcelona
IdeologyLiberal conservatism
Spanish unionism
Political positionCentre-right
Slogan¡Cataluña es mucho más!
Website
valents.cat

In June 2021, Marilén Barceló, one of the 4 councillors of Cs, would defect to BCNCanvi.[5][6] In December 2021, the party was refounded by Eva Parera with the current name: Valents.[7][8]

History

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Beginning

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Manuel Valls announced in a press conference in 2018 the name of the party focused on the 2019 Barcelona City Council election and his bid for the Mayor of Barcelona. On 23 October 2018, Valls positioned himself as the candidate of all the Barcelonese «elites», even the cultural ones. [citation needed] BCNcanvi was supported by other politicians from Cs such as Inés Arrimadas, Units per Avançar, Lliures and businessmen and media personalities such as Josep Maria Bricall

On 22 January 2019, Lliures decided to join the lists of BCNcanvi, followed by Unión Progreso y Democracia in February 2019. Afterwards, in an attempt to gain votes from the PSC, Valls presented former socialist minister, Celestino Corbacho as number 3 on his lists, followed by politicians from Cs and Units per Avançar ( Eva Parera )

Elections Aftermath and Breakup

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The list obtained 6 councillors, however the coalition fell apart as soon as Valls announced his support for the re-election of Ada Colau, leaving BCNcanvi with 3 councillors, soon to be 2 after Celestino Corbacho defected to Cs[9]

Valents and establishment of a brand

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In December 2021, the party changed its name to Valents.

In January 2022, 2 former MPs of Citizens joined Valents with Eva Parera, Jorge Soler González becoming chair of Valents in Girona and Jean Castel in Lleida. As well, the 3 councillors of Citizens in Sitges defected to Valents.[10]

On 24 January it was announced that the 80 members of Centrats per Tarragona switched over to Valents, along with the 2 councillors in La Pobla de Montornès.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Segura, Cristian (4 April 2019). "Manuel Valls registra su propio partido". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Ciudadanos rompe oficialmente con Valls: Sus tres concejales tendrán grupo propio". 17 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Celestino Corbacho rompe con Manuel Valls". 18 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Consejo Municipal". 15 October 2015.
  5. ^ "Marilén Barceló deixa Cs per Barcelona pel Canvi | betevé". 31 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Una concejal de Ciudadanos de Barcelona se pasa al grupo impulsado por Manuel Valls". June 2021.
  7. ^ "'Valents': Barcelona pel Canvi da el salto para convertirse en partido autonómico". 20 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Barcelona pel Canvi se transforma en Valents para dar el salto a la política catalana".
  9. ^ Segura, Cristian. "Corbacho se suma a Ciudadanos y deja a Valls con dos concejales". El País.
  10. ^ "El grupo municipal de Cs en Sitges se pasa en bloque a Valents". 17 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Valents incorpora a los 80 militantes de Centrats per Tarragona". 24 January 2022.