Financing: a leap in the well-being of Catalonia

Macroeconomic figures show that the Catalan and Spanish economies are doing well. GDP is growing and unemployment is falling. But most people don't notice this in their daily lives. Wages remain stagnant, the cost of living is rising, and the general feeling is that, no matter how hard you work, it's getting harder every day to make ends meet.

In this context, there is a majority—what we have called the "middle class" for decades—who live trapped between two borders: too rich for institutions to help them directly, but too poor to get ahead on their own. They have done everything they were told to do: study, work, contribute, comply. They have done their homework, with the promise that things would go well for them. But it seems it is never enough. Many families today feel that, despite all their efforts, they live or will live worse than their parents.

This is one of the causes of political disaffection. Today, a large majority finds every day that politics has been forgotten: it doesn't talk about their lives or address their problems. This majority sustains the country, but often feels invisible. And when the majority of people feel abandoned, the entire social structure weakens, and even the value of democracy is called into question.

This malaise won't be resolved with speeches alone. We need resources that we have today, but which we don't enjoy. Everyone knows that negotiations are underway for a new funding agreement for Catalonia with the Spanish government. But this isn't just a figure to show off; it's a tool to change lives. What's at stake is a leap forward in self-government that will improve the lives of this invisible majority. A new welfare state is needed in Catalonia.

I'm thinking, for example, of the proposal recently debated by Parliament to guarantee free extracurricular activities and school meals for everyone. Equal opportunities begin at a young age: whether your sons or daughters can play soccer, learn English, or dance can't depend on your postal code. And that free access must reach everyone, including those who are often left in no-man's-land.

The same goes for health. Going to the physiotherapist, psychologist, or dentist should be a universal right, not a luxury. This is even true in more specific areas, such as support for people with special needs or specific diets—such as those with celiac disease. We must ensure that living well doesn't become more expensive for anyone. These measures lighten the burden on families and reduce imperceptible inequalities.

Healing these fractures is, ultimately, a way to rebuild society. Because today we cannot afford to limit ourselves to defending the institutions we have while others question them. We must go on the offensive: we must improve them. Our politics and our institutions must go hand in hand with the right to a better life.

Therefore, new financing must be a tool for building a country and responding to the two future challenges of the new Catalonia.

The first is economic: we need the country's institutions to correct a growth model that is too often based on precarious jobs and low wages. Today we are growing because we have a larger working population, not because Catalans are richer or our companies are more productive. Catalonia must find its own path, distinct from the Spanish growth model, by investing in value-added sectors and jobs that guarantee a future.

The second challenge is territorial: today, three out of four Catalans live between the AP-7 and the coast. The rest of the country is gradually emptying out. This trend, which is increasing every day, must be reversed. Here, we need a strategic commitment from the country's government throughout the country, especially in medium-sized cities, to diversify and strengthen local economies, boost training, and attract foreign investment, to guarantee quality job opportunities and efficient public transportation.

The vast majority of Catalans have been offsetting their fiscal deficit with Spain for years with their taxes. And they can no longer afford it, nor are they receiving what they deserve. We have the opportunity to open this new era if we have the resources we need. So that no one finds themselves in the situation of being too rich to be helped and too poor to get by alone. So that politics can once again be useful and connect with the vast majority of Catalans.

It's the first step toward reversing the frustration in our institutions. To begin rebuilding trust and starting to like ourselves as a country again.