Subscribe
When Spanish politics already seems to be struggling with enough instability and problems with current politicians, the occasional appearances of former high-profile politicians often dismantle the narrative lines of current leaders.
Thus, Jordi Pujol, the former president of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia between 1980 and 2003, and one of the most prominent politicians in both Catalonia and Spain over the last few decades, has decided that, amid the tragedy in the Valencian region and the political earthquake currently shaking Spain, it is the right moment to speak about immigration and Catalan identity.
Pujol has warned about the risks that immigration could pose to Catalan identity. In recent statements, Pujol cautioned that Catalans could face “a situation of great marginalization” if immigration flows are not adequately managed. The fact is that immigration, especially in Catalonia, is particularly complex. Unlike other regions of Spain, in some neighborhoods of Catalonia, the number of immigrants now exceeds the local population. Therefore, this issue is seen as a threat to Catalan cultural identity due to the high levels of immigration the region experiences.
For this reason, Pujol, who presided over the Catalan government for 23 years, has advocated for Catalonia to take on immigration-related powers to better control its borders. This position has remained unchanged over the years and is once again a key point in the ongoing negotiations between the Junts party (which is currently conditioning the General State Budget) and the Spanish government’s ruling PSOE party. They are discussing transferring these powers to the Catalonian Government.
In his most recent remarks, the former president has expressed the need to address immigration in a “constructive and positive” way, seeking to integrate immigrants, but always within the framework of preserving “Catalan identity.” In his words, integration should be based on respect, helping immigrants to properly assimilate into Catalan society, though he also acknowledged that Catalonia would no longer be the same as it was 50 or 100 years ago.
These words represent a clear exhibition of regionalist ideas. In a sense, they reflect an urgent need to protect everything, but only for themselves. In other words, solidarity among nations and the mutual responsibility between countries with similar issues does not seem to be a priority for Catalan separatists. Instead, they focus on the belief that maintaining a homogeneous Catalan identity requires exclusive control over immigration policies.
However, this is nothing new for those familiar with the independence movement. Pujol emphasized that immigration has been a long-standing concern, not only for Catalonia but for all of Europe. He reminded listeners of a speech he gave in 1990, when he discussed the need to incorporate immigrants into the culture of the countries they arrive in.
While having secure and regulated borders to maintain a strict control over irregular immigration is an issue worth addressing, the rhetoric of “only for Catalonia” further divides actions on a problem that is common to Spain and the European Union. This rhetoric does not serve to unify Spain in the face of shared challenges but rather focuses on creating a fragmented approach that makes it more difficult to tackle this issue collectively.
Thus, the proposal that Catalonia assumes exclusive powers over immigration is yet another example of a move towards the privatization of public policies. Decentralizing immigration powers further could open the door to decisions driven by separatist criteria, rather than by the principles of European solidarity and inter-territorial cooperation. While it is understandable that regions may desire more autonomy, immigration should be addressed from a perspective of national unity and coherence. Fragmenting policies based on localist interests may, in the long run, create more problems than it solves.
The implications of this stance are profound. If Catalonia were to gain exclusive powers over immigration, it would potentially create a patchwork of policies across Spain, each region pursuing its own interests and potentially diverging from the broader, unified framework that the European Union has worked hard to build. This could lead to inefficiency and inequality in the management of immigration, making it harder for Spain as a whole to face the challenges posed by global migration.
Separatist flag-waving it should not come at the expense of solidarity, cohesion, and the well-being of all citizens, regardless of their place of birth. The regionalism Pujol promotes may sound appealing to some, but it risks pushing Catalonia further away from the progressive and inclusive society that Europe, and Spain, need to embrace to navigate the complexities of the modern world.