Salvador Illa guarantees new funding and distances himself from the legal cases surrounding Sánchez

BarcelonaAs the year draws to a close, the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, appeared this Tuesday to take stock of 2025. The head of the Catalan government ends the year with the question of whether he will ultimately be able to to pass the 2026 budget or it will enter the second year of the legislature without updated accounts – this very Tuesday the executive council approved the budget extensionThe most striking development is the possibility of sealing an agreement for new funding for Catalonia with Esquerra Republicana, a pact that is well underway but about which Illa declined to provide details during his appearance this Tuesday. He did reiterate, however, that the Government will "give its all" to have a new budget next year. The president, in this regard, vowed to serve out his term and assured that the cases of alleged corruption and harassment surrounding the Spanish government will not affect his administration: "It will not taint Catalonia at all."

"We are very close to achieving new, unique funding for Catalonia," stated Illa, who added that the Catalan Government continues "working" to ensure this agreement is fulfilled. "Things will happen in January," he said. In fact, it is between January and February that the Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, promised to make public the agreement on a new model for regional funding. "We will honor the agreements we signed," Illa reiterated, presenting ERC as a "terribly demanding" partner. Illa also has the transfer of the commuter rail network, which Pedro Sánchez's government signed with the Republicans, yet to be finalized. In this regard, the establishment of the new mixed-ownership commuter rail company is also scheduled to be signed in January – although the agreement stipulated that it should become operational on January 1, 2026.

The amnesty law

Another outstanding commitment is the amnesty law, currently blocked in the courts. The president expressed his hope that 2026 will be the year this legislation is finally implemented, allowing for "complete normalization in Catalonia." "It is of paramount political importance for both Catalonia and Spain," he added. The amnesty law would allow the return of former president and Junts leader Carles Puigdemont, a key move for the stability of governance in Spain; it would also allow Oriol Junqueras, leader of ERC, to be lifted from public office and run in the next Catalan elections. "It's positive that the amnesty law is being implemented to resolve personal situations that I regret and that cause me suffering," Illa admitted. However, the president stated that Carles Puigdemont's return to Catalonia will not alter the government's course of action. "I don't plan to change the roadmap. I have two investiture agreements, with Esquerra and Comuns, that commit me for the entire legislature," he said, although he ruled out the possibility of either Oriol Junqueras's party or Jéssica Albiach's party joining the government. However, Illa left the door open to "having lines of dialogue" with the members of the Catalan Parliament.

Defense of Pedro Sánchez's government

Beyond the governance of Catalonia, Isla also addressed that of the State, and once again offered a staunch defense of Pedro Sánchez's government. "Sánchez is doing well. Will he face attacks? Every day. But they won't affect Catalonia at all," he stated. In this regard, the president again distinguished between the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), although he admitted the "close ties" between the Catalan socialists and the PSOE. Illa shielded the government from the legal cases affecting the national executive and closed ranks with Sánchez's "swift, exemplary, and decisive" response. He also defended the Spanish president's intention to serve out his term to finalize two issues: European funds and the amnesty law. The balance sheet for 2025

Isla began his year-end address by highlighting the government's actions during 2025. "This year, 2025, has been a success. I am optimistic about 2026. The country and the government are focused, and we have found the path that these times demand: to continue generating prosperity and decisively sharing this prosperity," he stated. In this regard, Isla emphasized certain data points, such as the growth in the number of people affiliated with Social Security, which reached 3.6 million in 2025, and the fact that the crime rate has decreased by 3.9%. The president also returned to one of the legislature's priority issues: the housing crisis. He highlighted the measures adopted so far, such as the announcement of plans to create 214,000 new homes and the approval of the law regulating seasonal rentals, among others. "Let's create 8.5 public housing units every day for Catalonia," Illa said. The president also highlighted the importance of measures such as the repayment of part of the debt held by the regional liquidity fund (FLA) and the final outcome of the takeover bid for Banc Sabadell.