The ANC exhibits unity with an event with all the presidents: "We do not look at the past, we look at the future"

BarcelonaThe failed outcome of the Process has driven the pro-independence parties into division, with an open confrontation. Neither have the organizations escaped this escalation of recriminations. The Assembly, moreover, has suffered internal fractures. In recent years, two sectors with different strategies have disputed control of the organization: those in favor of engaging in electoral battle and those who believed it should remain neutral. The former have created Standing for Independence and the latter lead the organization. Both sides united this Tuesday to call for unity and to attend the Diada, with a family photo that included all the people who have presided over the organization from its foundation to the present day.

None of the former presidents missed the call, leaving behind the divergences of the past in an initiative promoted by the current president of the Assembly, Josep Vila, who did not hide his satisfaction in demonstrating that diversity in approaches does not prevent unity of action. "Everyone is here," the motto of this year's demonstration, in the common cause of independence. This was highlighted by Vila during his speech. "Let's not look at the past, let's look at the future," said the current president of the Assembly, who had the rest of the organization's former leaders behind him. "The Assembly embraces diversity with normality and we are not afraid to address independence with diverse accents," he added.

Both Vila and the rest of the leaders who have presided over the organization have supported the current leadership's double call on the eve of the Diada: on one hand, to attend the demonstrations, but on the other, to get involved in the pro-independence movement the next day. "This does not end on the 11th, we must rebel and fight for independence," added Vila.

The Diada of the estelada

In the face of the attacks suffered by a Barça fan, first, and an Europa fan, later, for carrying an 'estelada' flag, the entity's top official has encouraged all citizens to go out with the 'estelada' at the called demonstrations. "It must be displayed as a symbol of freedom that has no violent intent in the face of the Catalanophobic waves we are suffering," Vila declared.

Elisenda Paluzie, the president who held the position for the longest time (2018-2022), said that "if an opportunity arises to achieve independence, there must be grassroots and country." The first and lesser-known president of the Assembly, Dolors Marín (2011-2012), asserted that the ANC is "the only tool to make independence possible."

Carme Forcadell (2012-2015) has added the need to take to the streets this Diada to defend the language: "We are in a situation of linguistic emergency". Lluís Llach, Vila's immediate predecessor, has revealed that he will be by the current president's side during the mobilization. Dolors Feliu (2022-2024), on the other hand, has said that she will be with the militants of Dempeus per la Independència, the party that some former secretaries of the ANC created when the entity's members voted against forming a civic list and both she and the rest of the board members who defended it stopped leading the organization. This Tuesday, however, at the gates of the Diada, the president and all the former presidents have joined forces to revive the independence movement from the grassroots.