Pro-independence mayors and councilors call for a "new democratic onslaught."

GironaFor the first time since October 2017, local elected officials supporting independence have gathered for a joint event to join forces and try to revive the independence movement, currently in a slump following the disillusionment of the independence process. The meeting, held this Saturday in Girona—the only regional capital with a clearly pro-independence government—brought together nearly 200 mayors and councilors from across Catalonia, mostly from Junts, Esquerra, and the CUP, from towns such as Girona, Vic, Manresa, Agramunt, and Amposta. Catalan Alliance, there was no representation, since the far-right party was neither invited to the event nor interested in attending.

Throughout the morning, various roundtables and conferences were held to define a common roadmap, highlighting the importance of local councils in the independence process, with a 70% majority of the country's councilors in favor of the Catalan Republic. This resulted in an 11-point manifesto that, building on past initiatives such as the 2009 Arenys de Munt referendum, seeks to lay the foundations "for a new democratic onslaught" that will put the Spanish state on the ropes.

"Finding spaces like today's is important for sharing concerns, worries, and successful experiences," argues the mayor of Manresa, Marc Aloy (ERC). "One of the central themes has been restoring confidence in the project. We must understand that, although we have not yet achieved the Republic, the problems still exist, so we must find new ways to address the needs of citizens," he argues. Regarding the event's convening power, Jordi Gaseni, president of the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI), commented: "We are satisfied. At this point, it was very important to hold this meeting, share experiences, and, from there, consolidate the strategy so that there will be more in the future."

Local sovereignty, language and coexistence

Among the commitments included in the manifesto is the desire to exercise sovereignty from the local level through transformative policies in the areas of the environment, energy, and housing. The text also expresses the need to forge alliances and strengthen cooperation between municipalities, emphasizes the internationalization of the Catalan cause, and calls for the involvement of young people through technological initiatives and social media. It also calls for the need to provide municipalities with more economic resources and powers so they can safely carry out their functions. The creation of a strategic observatory, promoted by the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI), has also been announced. This observatory will conduct studies, collect data, and implement concrete actions to advance toward a Catalan Republic.

The Catalan language is another central point of the manifesto, urging municipalities to actively work to ensure its normalization and social use by creating council offices specifically dedicated to this activity. The defense of the historical and cultural heritage of municipalities is also highlighted as a very powerful tool for fostering a sense of belonging and national awareness. Finally, the declaration underscores the commitment to an inclusive democracy that values coexistence, plurality, and diversity as strengths, not threats, in the face of hate speech from far-right parties that, no matter how pro-independence they may be, are excluded from this roadmap.