--- type: politician_profile lang: en canonical: https://www.politicaelectoral.com/en/spain/politicians/lluc-salellas nombre: Lluc Salellas Vilar partido: cup generado: 2026-05-02T21:47:01 data_crc: 6b4d7972 --- Lluc Salellas Vilar is a **CUP** politician and the current **mayor of Girona**. He has led the city since 2023, becoming one of the best-known figures of the Catalan left in local government. ## Political career Lluc Salellas Vilar is a Catalan politician associated with the **Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (CUP)**, the anti-capitalist, pro-independence left-wing party that has built much of its influence through municipal politics and grassroots activism. His public profile is primarily tied to **Girona**, where he became mayor in **2023**. Salellas’ political trajectory has been shaped by the CUP’s municipalist tradition: local activism, community-based campaigning and a strong emphasis on participatory politics. Before becoming mayor, he was already a prominent local political figure in Girona and had built credibility within the city’s activist and civic environment. His rise reflects the CUP’s wider strategy of turning municipal representation into a platform for institutional influence while maintaining a close connection to social movements. His main office, so far, is **Mayor of Girona (2023–present)**. This position places him at the head of one of Catalonia’s most symbolically important provincial capitals, with a political landscape that is often sensitive to questions of identity, urban governance, social policy and relations between the city, the wider Girona area and the Catalan institutions. ## Relationship with the public Salellas’ relationship with the public is closely linked to the **CUP’s style of politics**: direct, locally rooted and attentive to activist networks, neighbourhood associations and civic mobilisations. His public image is that of a politician who speaks the language of **grassroots politics** rather than professionalised party machinery. In Girona, that profile can be an advantage among voters who value proximity, community engagement and a harder line on social inequality or democratic reform. It also fits the CUP’s customary appeal to citizens dissatisfied with the mainstream parties. At the same time, the CUP’s ideological clarity can polarise opinion, and Salellas is likely to attract both strong support and firm opposition depending on the issue. As mayor, his media relationship is shaped by the practical demands of municipal office. Local media attention tends to focus on day-to-day governance, coalition dynamics, public services, housing, tourism, mobility and the management of municipal resources. In that setting, he is assessed less as a purely activist figure and more as an executive responsible for balancing the CUP’s principles with the realities of city administration. ## Positions and political profile Salellas is identified with the **independence movement**, the **Catalan left** and the CUP’s broader anti-capitalist outlook. His political profile is therefore likely to combine three main elements: **self-determination**, **social justice** and **municipal democracy**. In practice, that often means support for stronger public services, policies aimed at reducing inequality, and a critical approach to speculative urban development and market-led planning. As mayor of Girona, his work is expected to centre on issues that are especially salient in Catalan municipal politics: housing access, public space, sustainable mobility, environmental management, social inclusion and the balance between tourism and residents’ quality of life. These are areas in which the CUP typically advocates a more interventionist and socially protective role for local government. Inside the CUP, Salellas is generally perceived as part of the party’s institutional face: a politician who translates movement politics into governing practice. Outside the party, his image may vary widely. Supporters often see him as authentic, committed and aligned with everyday concerns; critics may regard him as ideologically rigid or as representing a party that can be difficult to integrate into conventional coalition politics. A defining feature of his profile is that he embodies the CUP’s attempt to move from protest politics into administration without losing its identity. That tension is central to how he is judged: success in office can strengthen the CUP’s credibility, while any perceived compromise can trigger criticism from both opponents and more purist supporters. ## Frequently asked questions **Who is Lluc Salellas Vilar?** He is a Catalan politician from the **CUP** who has served as **mayor of Girona** since **2023**. **What party does he belong to?** He belongs to the **Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (CUP)**, a left-wing, pro-independence, anti-capitalist party active in Catalan municipal and regional politics. **What is his main political role?** His main role is **Mayor of Girona**, where he leads the city government and represents one of Catalonia’s most important urban centres. **What are his main political priorities?** His profile is associated with **independence**, **social justice**, **municipal democracy** and policies on issues such as **housing**, **public services**, **mobility** and **urban sustainability**. **How is he perceived publicly?** He is generally seen as a **grassroots, activist-style politician**: respected by supporters for his proximity and ideological consistency, and sometimes criticised by opponents as a strongly ideological figure. **Has he held other major offices?** Based on the available data here, his principal office is **Mayor of Girona (2023–present)**.