Housing and security: the formula with which the Government wants to curb the far right

BarcelonaThe latest CEO survey The poll predicts an unprecedented surge for the far right in Catalonia: if elections were held now, Aliança Catalana would climb to third place, tying with Junts at 19-20 seats, while Vox would grow to 13-14 seats. While Junts questions the poll, the Catalan government interprets it as a "snapshot of a specific moment" in Catalan society, which, it says, is framed within an international context of rising extremism. The Socialists would lose between two and four seats, but Salvador Illa would remain the preferred candidate to preside over the Generalitat, and his government would receive its best performance rating in a decade—which, however, is a failing grade of 4.9. Nevertheless, the Catalan government does not hide its concern about the increased support for Aliança and Vox among a segment of the electorate and the "risk" this poses to social cohesion. That's why it wants to address the issue by acting more swiftly on two very specific fronts: housing and security.

"All the surveys indicate that housing and coexistence are the issues that most concern Catalans," explains the regional minister and spokesperson, Sílvia Paneque, in ARA. This is also reflected in the CEO survey, which places housing as the primary concern for Catalans (31%), followed by immigration (10%) and security (9%). Paneque does not believe that the rise of extremist forces is driven by an identity-based impulse: Catalonia is and wants to be a "welcoming" country. In this way, the government adopts the thesis defended by most experts, according to which this increase is explained by the rise in... of discontent with institutions and inequalityIn any case, the spokesperson maintains, policies to create "opportunities" and promote knowledge of Catalan among newcomers are also a lever for fostering cohesion and curbing hate speech based on origin or religion.

The CUP accuses the PSC of inflating Alliance

From the start of the legislature, the need to improve security has been at the heart of the Catalan government's discourse, which tirelessly repeats that, in Catalonia, "those who break the law will pay the price." The same cannot be said of the debate on immigration: the PSC has shown itself to be in favor of assuming more powers in this area. as agreed by Juntos with the PSOE in a reform that was defeated by the PP, Vox, and Podemos parties in Congress. However, it is not an issue that motu proprio has put on the table, beyond defending immigration and its contribution to Catalan society To counter the rhetoric of Vox and Alianza, and in a renewed effort to combat the association between immigration and insecurity, the Interior Ministry will begin providing more data on the nationality of individuals with criminal profiles in its annual crime statistics starting next year, aiming for greater transparency. The government has also signed an agreement with the State. to monitor online hate speech and prevent social media from becoming "centrifuges" of itThese messages.

These are the messages he usually conveys to Salvador Illa when he debates with Sílvia Orriols in the Catalan Parliament. But the prominence that the confrontation with Aliança Catalana has acquired in the president's behavior, in line with Pedro Sánchez's strategy at the national level, has led the CUP to accuse the PSC of having given them free rein to gain electoral advantage. A claim that has been strongly refuted by the Catalan Socialists. "If anyone within the pro-independence movement has failed to curb the growth of Aliança Catalana, it's not our fault," countered parliamentary spokesperson Elena Díaz, alluding to Junts. which no longer vetoes agreements with this party in the municipalities in the lead-up to 2027.

The party strategy

Socialist sources emphasize that, from a communications standpoint, they have intensified their social media messaging against the lies of the far right. Some members of parliament have been prominent figures in this effort. fact-checking They create TikTok videos to explain what they do in the areas they govern. One of them is Christian Soriano, one of the youngest members of the parliamentary group and a councilor for security in El Vendrell. Deputy Mónica Ríos, who serves as spokesperson alongside Soriano on the Interior Committee, also does this.

Outside of Parliament, the PSC (Socialist Party of Catalonia) is trying to get residents to see their leaders on the street so they can discuss issues like security and the fight against unemployment. Especially in the metropolitan area, they hope to counter Vox's visits to neighborhoods with social problems to film videos accusing mayors of inaction. According to sources, the feeling among Socialist mayors is that they shouldn't ignore the underlying reasons why residents are drawn to far-right forces and, above all, avoid falling into the "niceness" that some believe the left has succumbed to.

One example is the controversy with the Martorell ordinance, In the municipality where Junts governs with the PSC as the junior partner, the council has proposed a ban on refilling water bottles at public fountains. ERC and Comuns have strongly objected to the council's plan to fine people for this practice, which is primarily carried out by homeless individuals or those living in squats. The local branch of the Socialists supports the measure, while Pallars has simply stated that it respects "local autonomy," without taking a firm stance on the ban.