Albiol establishes his own profile within the PP (also with the Catalan)

BarcelonaThe mayor of Badalona, ​​Xavier García Albiol, establishes his own profile within the Catalan People's Party (PP). A path that is distinct from what he proposes. the party leader in the Principality, Alejandro Fernándezbut which is very well received by many members of the party. Among other things, for the defense of an attitude that, according to several leaders, is linked to the "constitutional Catalanism" with which the state leader of the People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has always fraternized in public—unlike Fernández. In fact, this week he approved a motion of "support" for the National Pact for the Language with a string of measures in favor of the language, just as he has once again demanded an agreement with Junts for a motion of censure in an interview on RTVEOn other occasions he defended "availability to talk to everyone", unlike the vetoes in Junts that has defended the Catalan leader.

Sources close to Albiol emphasize that the mayor has always been "in favor of Catalan and its promotion, but against favoring Catalan to the exclusion of Spanish." These are the terms used to explain the motion of support for the National Pact for the Language, in which they emphasize that the City Council "does not formally adhere to it," while opposition groups such as ERC (Republican Left) did so in a motion of their own to which the Popular Party (PP) presented an alternative with their own, more watered-down model.

In an interview this Thursday on "La mañana de Catalunya Ràdio," Albiol himself emphasized that the approved text supports "some points of the National Pact for the Language," but argued that "promoting Catalan is compatible with, and not exclusive of, Spanish," and recalled that "Badalona City Council is an example of Badalona City Council." Be that as it may, he stated that Catalan must be promoted to ensure its survival: "With two or three generations, it will be residual and will only be spoken in certain areas, such as the media, if we continue like this." In this regard, he denounced the failure of language policy with "unpopular" measures that were seen as "an aggression." In any case, Albiol expressed his opposition to the official status of Catalan in Europe: "It is not a priority and there must be a consensus with the other states and parties, although the PP does not oppose it but rather proposes a rigorous debate so that it is not a concession from the PSOE to Junts."

Reproaches of Spanish Nationalism

Although the PP, in the Parliament, has harshly criticized the understanding for the language promoted by the Government, even using terms such as "linguistic dictatorship" or "imposition," it is true that the motion expresses "support" and cites specific policies. However, they clarify that it is not an endorsement of the Generalitat's support, as they disagree with the pact on those points that are in line with the "exclusion" of Spanish. The city council clarifies in the motion that the governing team "supports several points of the pact," which do not entail this marginalization. In any case, this active support for Catalan language measures has enraged radical Spanish nationalists, from Vox to platforms such as Impulso Ciudadano and Asamblea por una Escuela Bilingüe, with accusations of being an "accomplice" of Catalan nationalism.

Likewise, the rapprochement with Junts has been one of the other points that has led the mayor to emerge with a willingness to engage in dialogue. He even "spoke" months ago with former President Carles Puigdemont in a "very proper" manner when they met by chance at the European Parliament, as he himself explained in an interview—despite explicitly refusing to meet. His willingness to engage with Junts has made him emerge as one of the clearest voices on this issue, alongside other leaders like Esteban González Pons and members of Feijóo's inner circle, although he often juggles this issue. Compared to 2017, Albiol has projected a moderation in the nationalist axis that has allowed him to attract pro-independence voters, with a massive victory in Badalona, ​​​​including in the old town, where nationalist forces have traditionally always won.

The keys to your own profile

Beyond the difference between joining the pact or expressing "support" as a "strategic instrument to protect, encourage, and increase the use of Catalan in all sectors of society," Albiol's motion recognizes Catalan as "Catalonia's own language" and "an essential element of identity and cohesion," and seeks to promote it, its culture, and its citizenship, including with support for language-supporting organizations. It also seeks to foster language acceptance—although not as the preferred host language as ERC had hoped—learning, communication, and awareness-raising campaigns. In an interview on RAC1 last week, Albiol expressed a concern: that "Catalan could disappear in two or three generations." Therefore, he called for action to reverse this with support policies, although he lashed out at the "unfriendly policies" of the independence movement, nationalism, and the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), which, he argues, have portrayed the language as an "obligation."

Close sources emphasize that Albiol has always had this linguistic sensitivity, and that he has expressed it "publicly on many occasions." "Many of us defend the same thing as Albiol," maintain the consulted cadres, who are in favor of the "Constitutional Catalanism," similar to the Galicianism of the PP in Feijóo's regionThey believe he fits that profile, given his use and defense of Catalan, alongside several deputies who prioritize their own language and have a moderate profile, as well as regional cadres. "We'll never rise if we don't identify ourselves as a Catalan party," they assert, claiming awareness and a distinct profile in Catalonia. Other cadres also emphasize the appropriateness of this Catalan profile and maintain that "the measures Albiol has promoted regarding the language are perfect." They also agree on reaching out to Junts for a vote of no confidence or even to open the door to future understandings, always within the framework of legality. And yet another warning: leaders consulted assure that they will defend Albiol's position before whomever is necessary, including internally, but they doubt that anyone from the PP would publicly raise it to question the mayor. Albiol has considerable internal strength and a clear absolute majority with 18 councilors, in addition to being president of the PP mayors' committee.