Ferran Torres and the "ruin" of the Catalan Countries

Prada of ConflentThe Catalan Countries have a "ruin" that is Spain, or their dependence, if we adhere to the thesis of Quim Torra (2018-2020), Josep Lluís Albinyana (1978-1979), and Cristòfol Soler (1995-1996), former presidents of Catalonia, the Valencian Country, and the Balearic Islands, respectively. They were the ones who lasted the shortest time in office in each territory, and all three ended up falling out with their parties, Junts, the PSPV, and the PP, even though their firm independentism was once again displayed this Thursday at the Catalan Summer University in Prada.

Albinyana, who defended the four-striped flag, the unity of the language, and the name of Valencian Country instead of the invention of the Valencian Community, stated at the nationalist roundtable that "Spain is a failed state," due to, he said, the centralism of a false homeland to hide a colonialist system of submission to the central power. He recalled the "turbo-vacuum cleaner of all State resources," Madrid, and how "anti-Catalanism has been a shot in the foot" to follow Madrid's lead. "This Valencian Country walks between bewilderment and ruin," he said, and lamented what has been done to culture and language. However, beyond the linguistic persecution fueled by blaverism and the role of the PP and PSOE in this crusade that has caused impoverishment, in his opinion, there is something about the Catalan Countries that grates and that he has not been able to hide.

While personalities like Pep Guardiola have been referents of Catalan sovereignty, he put forward the Valencian case as a counterpoint: "I don't think Ferran Torres will do the same as Guardiola at PSG." In fact, Torres proudly displays the Spanish flag and even a Trumpist cap. Be that as it may, he reaffirmed "the impossibility of change in Spain," an idea also reaffirmed by Torra and Soler. In the Balearic case, he added that they are their colonies that keep them "strangled." "They take our money, all we have to do is leave," he concluded.

But it was Torra who hammered the nail and once again minimized the weight of self-government achieved during the Transition and expanded in successive Catalan governments. "We do not have the powers or resources for climate change, the country is living in collapse", he said, before mentioning that, effectively, Catalonia has no powers in anything. He believes that "Catalonia's real problem is sovereignty", and this extends to everything, as in immigration. This means that anything can be debated, but ultimately, there are no solutions for anything, according to his criteria. An argument that he had already defended even as president of the Generalitat.

From the Maghreb to the change of leaderships

But immigration continues to knock on the door. "When I see a sub-Saharan speaking Catalan, I get emotional," said Albinyana. This is the way, that of integration, in his opinion. And the problem is Madrid, as he showed with a family anecdote: "My nephew is going to Shanghai for a master's degree; it's lucky he's not going to Madrid".

Soler insisted on the fiscal deficit, in the Balearic case, of 7,000 million euros –"They take our money"–, and insisted on the problem of tourism as a symptom of collapse, in addition to the "black" government of the PP of José Ramón Bauzá, who launched his particular crusade against Catalan in all areas. "I was a Christian Democrat, but if there were a hell, it would be the Spanish government, because they want to eliminate us as a people and as a language. And it's been going on for 300 years," he concluded. A different discourse from Torra, who, although he says he doesn't want to give political lectures and only wants to give language lectures, has once again verbalized his particular recipe: "We must change leadership when you stop being credible. Those of us who were not able to reach it [independence] should not be the best people to propose it," he concluded.

He also had the opportunity to call for the federation of the Catalan Countries in the centers abroad, where there are separate Catalan, Balearic and Valencian centers, although he also encounters the Ferran Torres effect and the reality of PP governments with the support of Vox in these territories.