Antoni Bassas' analysis: 'Immigration and the Electoral Auction'

Let's look at what happened yesterday and we'll understand where we are and what lies ahead. The PP gathered the presidents of the autonomous communities around FeijóoAnd what would you say they talked about? That's right: immigration. In these terms:

"We advocate a new points-based visa that prioritizes entry for those who want to work in sectors where there is a labor shortage, for those who know our culture best, and for those with a greater capacity for integration. [...] Zero tolerance for crime. This is the bare minimum. Serious crimes will automatically result in the loss of residency. And neither will it be rewarded with permanence in Spain. Therefore, the law is upheld here. We, the Spanish, abide by the law. 

Strong language, a risqué tone, the moderate Feijóo is being taught to shout, so that when convenient, he seems like that gentle Galician president and when convenient, he recalls Vox. Regarding the specific proposal he's making, just one note: note that Feijóo, when he proposes giving preference to immigrants "who best know our culture," is reducing culture to language and religion; he's suggesting that Hispanic Americans who already speak Spanish and are Christians should come. Therefore, if even for a linguistic power like Spanish, language is important, how can it not be for us? But that's a topic for another day.

Because what is important to highlight today is that, with the calculator of votes and seats in hand, the PP looks to Vox just like Together look at the Catalan Alliance, and they see how they're eaten up in the polls. And not just in the polls: mayors know what kind of conversations are going on in the streets, representatives sense what kind of conversations are going on after dinner, and now they're doing the "speak clearly," "put an end to the do-gooders," "talk about everything, no matter how uncomfortable it may be," or any other expression that indicates they understand. And that's why Feijóo raises his tone.

In reality, immigration is part of people's concerns. The list of concerns is long: stagnant wages; the lack of housing, which makes the uncertain future of young people even more serious; the disaster of the Cercanías (local railway) or the AP-7 highway; the minority status of Catalan; an increase in insecurity in places that were once safe… All of this has some solutions that don't always have to do with immigration: improve funding, and healthcare and education can aspire to provide better service, and perhaps you can lower the regional income tax bracket; make Catalan compulsory (and therefore essential) and you will combat the minority status of the language… And all of this is combined with the evidence that, with 18% immigration, neighborhoods have changed, schools have changed, and there are Catalans who feel displaced in their neighborhood, or their school. And the schools that can't integrate as before: why do you integrate where if there are many more newcomers than before? How can they learn Catalan if they don't feel it among their classmates or in the neighborhood?

And now, for reasons of political calculation, the solution to all these ills is being concentrated in the fetish word: immigrationThis isn't just happening in Catalonia or Spain; it's happening all over the Western world, affecting governments of all stripes.

Good morning.