TWO of Catalonia’s pro-independence parties have had their first round of talks about forming a new government in Barcelona after four of them succeeded in winning more than half of the vote in Sunday’s election.

Representatives of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), which secured 33 seats, and the Public Unity Candidacy (CUP), which has nine, met yesterday to analyse the election results and work out how they could form the “broad” administration sought by the ERC’s Pere Aragones, who is likely to become the Catalan president.

CUP, a left-wing, anti-capitalist party, has not yet committed to being part of the new coalition, but the two sides did agree on one thing – the new government would be noticeably further to the left than its predecessor.

They said the election – known as 14-F – had shown the people’s will to move politically to the left and continue towards independence.

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ERC will also have discussions with Together for Catalonia (JxCat), which won 32 seats, and In Common We Can (ECP) which has eight. There are also likely to be bilateral talks for the remainder of this week.

In a statement, ERC said views had been exchanged on the economy and social issues, as well as the direction of travel towards a Catalan Republic.

“It was a first meeting to open the way for negotiations, which served to take the temperature on the relations between the two parties and lay the first foundations for future negotiations,” ERC said.

The CUP stressed that they wanted the negotiating process to be transparent. They said the meeting with ERC had illustrated that “the results of the 14-F show a clear will of the population for a turn to the left in politics in Catalonia and a breakthrough towards the Catalan Republic”.

It was also planning to meet civic and social organisations and other groups to address matters of “paramount importance” for the new administration.

So, an amicable gathering with what appeared to be a clear direction – something that Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez seems to be lacking.

The Socialist (PSC) leader said Catalans had voted on Sunday for a government to be formed by his party and the ECP.

That would give them 39 of the 135 seats in the Catalan chamber, not a majority in anybody’s language.

However, the Catalan daily El Nacional said his remarks differed to what party sources said in private – that the Socialists’ campaign in Catalonia, led by former health minister Salvador Illa, was doomed to failure and that pro-indy parties would be able to form a new government.

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The same sources told El Nacional that the indy bloc has expanded in parliament and “Aragones will not miss this opportunity”.

They also seemed more willing to accept ERC’s victory over JxCat because the Republicans are more willing to talk.

“They continue to defend self-determination and amnesty, but will sit at the dialogue table,” one source indicated.

“In this sense, they do not suffer from their relationship with the Republicans in Madrid, which could cause instability in the state capital.

“They are confident that understanding will be maintained in Congress.”

However, they admitted there was a major sticking point – the fate of the jailed indy leaders.

They said: “Among the many outstanding issues is the ‘pardon folder’ for political prisoners, although they do not yet dare to reveal the timetable they are working with.”