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The Catalan snap election is over, and the voters gave the Catalan Socialist Party, PSC, a whopping 28% of the vote, which translates into 42 seats. But falling short of an absolute majority of 68 seats, the results mean that the Socialists now have to find new alliances to form a government.
This episode of Filling the Sink was recorded bright and early on the first morning of the new political cycle.
Gerard Eschaich Folch joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to break down the election results and answer the question: who will govern Catalonia for the next four years and what is in store for us?
The early May elections, the result of a failed budget deal in the Catalan Parliament in March, showed how the Catalan independence parties seem to have lost momentum, even though Junts+Puigdemont for Catalonia won three more seats compared to 2021.  
The biggest loss was seen in the left-wing Esquerra Republicana, a party that went from governing to losing 13 seats, while the anti-capitalist formation CUP lost half of its seats, ending up with only 4.
At the same time, the conservative pro-unionist People’s Party celebrated its biggest victory in years with 12 new seats, becoming the fourth largest party in the Catalan parliament, while the far-right VOX maintained its 11 seats from the last cycle.
The biggest surprise was the entry of the far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana, which won 2 seats in Catalonia.
We will hear the reactions from all the major presidential candidates and talk about what coalitions we can expect - with some being more likely than others.
The Catalan phrase of the week is ‘colze a colze’ which means arm in arm, something the parties will now have to do to form a lasting coalition.

On May 11, we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Catalan artist Salvador Dalí, whose influence on the art world continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
The surrealist painter was born in the northern Catalan town of Figueres, but spent most of his life in the picturesque coastal towns of Cadaques and Port Lligat, from where he drew much of his inspiration.
Although Dalí was best known for his surrealist art and eccentricities - including his mustache, which we will talk about - there is so much more to discover. 
In this episode of Filling the Sink, we delve into the life and art of Salvador Dalí. 
From his formative years studying Fine Arts in Madrid, to his contributions to Surrealism after going to Paris, to his experimental years in the United States, before returning and settling down in northern Catalonia and creating his own legacy.
Oriol Escudé Macià joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to expand on several of the late surrealist’s motifs, from melting clocks to eerie mountain landscapes.
We will also recount some anecdotes from Dalí’s life, such as his protest against his art teachers or his deep wounding by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud after their first meeting.
We talk to art historian Mariona Seguranyes about Gala Dalí and her significant role in the artist’s life.
And we take listeners inside Salvador and Gala’s house in Port Lligat, as well as their Theatre-Museum in Figueres, where Oriol has a surrealist experience of his own. 
This week’s Catalan phrase is “per art de màgia” which means “magically”.

The Catalan election season is in full swing – once again.
On March 18th, Catalan President Pere Aragonès announced that he was dissolving the Catalan parliament and calling for a snap election on May 12th.
The news came after the government failed to secure a majority to pass the 2024 budget.
Calling for early elections in Catalonia is nothing new, as it has been 14 years since a government last served the full four-year term, and in the 21st century, the Catalans have only held two elections when they should have.
On this week’s podcast, Gerard Escaich Folch and Guifré Jordan join Lea Beliaeva Bander to make sense of the political situation and explain the reasons why this term came to an early end. 
We look back at the last three years of political battles, get to know the main party candidates, and talk about the future challenges.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “déu-n’hi-do”, roughly translated as “Oh my God!” in English, a common interjection used to express surprise.

Sant Jordi or Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia, and April 23 is the day when Catalans celebrate love, roses, romance, and also books. 
This week's episode is recorded from the bookshop Backstory in the heart of Barcelona. 
We explain what makes this day special and why people give each other roses and books. We learn about the legend of Sant Jordi and how this day became World Book Day promoted by UNESCO in 1995. 
We meet international authors Monika Zgustová, Hernan Díaz, and Sohn Won-pyung, talk to people on the streets of the Catalan capital, and hear from Vicki, co-owner of the English bookstore Hibernian as well as Kate and Abby, who opened Backstory back in February of 2024. 
Lea Beliaeva Bander is joined by the entire Catalan News team, Gerard Escaich Folc, Oriol Escudé Macià, Lorcan Doherty, Cillian Shields, and Ona Van Dyck Colomer.
The Catalan phrase of the week is the Sant Jordi appropriate “Hi havia una vegada”, which means “Once upon a time”. 

As the weather gets warmer, more and more people will want to go to the beach. But lately, some of the beaches in Catalonia have looked quite different. 
In some places, the beaches look like they have been swallowed by the sea. The reason for this is the recent storm Nelson, which hit the Catalan coast during this past Easter. Nelson caused an unprecedented loss of sand on some of Catalonia’s beaches, in some cases reducing the width of the beach by 25 meters. 
However, this phenomenon is not new and is becoming more and more frequent due to climate change. 
Recent data show that two-thirds of the Catalan coastline has receded in the last seven decades.
At the same time, other beaches have grown as a result of the construction of more ports or the expansion of beaches.
Cillian Shields joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about the state of Catalonia’s beaches and coastline.
We talk to Gonzalo Simarro, a beach scientist at the Marine Sciences Institute, about the impact of storms on Catalan beaches. We also hear from Jordi Pinyol of the Geological and Cartographic Institute of Catalonia, who explains how the Catalan coastline is evolving.
On a lighter note, we also share beach recommendations, from the rocky and picturesque up on Costa Brava, to the fun Barcelona beaches, or the family-friendly Costa Daurada, as well as the windy Terres de l’Ebre.
The Catalan phrase of the week is “Hi ha mar de fons,” which literally means “there is a groundswell,” and is an expression used to express that there is tension or bad vibes. 

Barcelona’s take on fashion week is the bi-annual event 080 Barcelona Fashion, which this season runs from April 9 to April 12.
The event has been held at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site since 2013, and during the 33rd edition celebrated this week, a mix of 24 emerging designers and established brands presented their idea of what should be in vogue in 2024. 
Over the years, 080 Barcelona Fashion has gone from being a locally focused event to catching the eye of the international fashion world, thanks to its unique mix of Catalan textile tradition, sustainability, and diversity. 
In this episode, designers Eva Dimas of Simorra and Alejandra Valero of Hoss Intropia unveil their latest collections, and we also hear from 080 Barcelona Fashion’s project manager Marta Coca, who explains how the event has evolved.  
Lorcan Doherty joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about all things fashion.  
This week’s Catalan phrase is 'passat de moda', which means 'out of fashion'.