Party of the Communists of Catalonia
Encyclopedia
Party of the Communists of Catalonia (in Catalan
: Partit dels i les Comunistes de Catalunya) is a political party
in Catalonia
. PCC was formed in April 1982 by the pro-Soviet
fraction of the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
(PSUC). The formation of PCC was the peak of a long and intense struggle within PSUC between the pro-Soviet and Eurocommunist sections of the party. The pro-Soviet section were often nicknamed 'Afghans' due to their support of the Soviet line of the war in Afghanistan. In December 1981 Pere Ardiaca
, chairman of PSUC and leader of the pro-Soviet section, had been expelled from PSUC, accused of fractional activities. When PCC was constituted Ardiaca was elected chairman of the new party.
In 1984 PCC merged into the Communist Party
(later renamed the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain, PCPE), and it became its regional wing in Catalonia. However, the party soon broke the bonds to PCPE and reconstructed itself as an independent party. Instead PCPE formed a new Catalan branch, the Communist Party of the Catalan People (Partit Comunista del Poble Català).
In 1987 PCC took part in the formation of Initiative for Catalonia (IC), a broad coalition of leftwing parties led by PSUC. In 1989 it left IC. In the 1993 elections it contested on IC lists as part of the electoral coalition of IC-Greens. In 1998 PCC and PSUC viu
formed the United and Alternative Left
(EUiA), which became the new Catalan referent of the Spanish United Left
(IU) following the break between IU and IC. PCC is the largest party inside EUiA.
The main organ of PCC is Avant. Every year the party holds a festival for its newspaper, Festa d'Avant. The theoretical organ of PCC is Realitat.
The youth wing of PCC is the Collectives of Young Communists - Communist Youth
(Col·lectius de Joves Comunistes - Joventut Comunista).
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
: Partit dels i les Comunistes de Catalunya) is a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. PCC was formed in April 1982 by the pro-Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
fraction of the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
The Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia , was formed on July 23, 1936 through the unification of four left-wing groups; the Catalan Federation of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , the Partit Comunista de Catalunya , the Unió Socialista de Catalunya and the...
(PSUC). The formation of PCC was the peak of a long and intense struggle within PSUC between the pro-Soviet and Eurocommunist sections of the party. The pro-Soviet section were often nicknamed 'Afghans' due to their support of the Soviet line of the war in Afghanistan. In December 1981 Pere Ardiaca
Pere Ardiaca
Pere Ardiaca i Martí was a Spanish Catalan communist politician. In 1982, he, Marià Pere, Josep Serradell and dozens of other communist leaders founded the Party of the Communists of Catalonia...
, chairman of PSUC and leader of the pro-Soviet section, had been expelled from PSUC, accused of fractional activities. When PCC was constituted Ardiaca was elected chairman of the new party.
In 1984 PCC merged into the Communist Party
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain is a communist political party in Spain. PCPE was founded out of the unification of several Marxist-Leninist factions. The youth organization is called the Collectives of Communist Youth.On December 13–15 of 1984 a "Communist Unity Congress" was held...
(later renamed the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain, PCPE), and it became its regional wing in Catalonia. However, the party soon broke the bonds to PCPE and reconstructed itself as an independent party. Instead PCPE formed a new Catalan branch, the Communist Party of the Catalan People (Partit Comunista del Poble Català).
In 1987 PCC took part in the formation of Initiative for Catalonia (IC), a broad coalition of leftwing parties led by PSUC. In 1989 it left IC. In the 1993 elections it contested on IC lists as part of the electoral coalition of IC-Greens. In 1998 PCC and PSUC viu
PSUC viu
PSUC viu is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. PSUC viu emerged out of factional fighting within the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia in the mid-1990s. Since 1936 PSUC had been the Catalan referent of the Communist Party of Spain...
formed the United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left ....
(EUiA), which became the new Catalan referent of the Spanish United Left
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
(IU) following the break between IU and IC. PCC is the largest party inside EUiA.
The main organ of PCC is Avant. Every year the party holds a festival for its newspaper, Festa d'Avant. The theoretical organ of PCC is Realitat.
The youth wing of PCC is the Collectives of Young Communists - Communist Youth
Collectives of Young Communists - Communist Youth
Collectives of Young Communists - Communist Youth , more known simply as "CJC" or "Joventut Comunista", is the youth wing of the Party of the Communists of Catalonia , the main communist party in Catalonia...
(Col·lectius de Joves Comunistes - Joventut Comunista).