The Parliament cannot require drivers to prove an intermediate level of Catalan, but at most an elementary level. This is the response given by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) to the request of Convivencia Cívica Catalana, which asked to annul the bases of a call for positions for these official vehicle drivers who transport high-ranking officials of the Generalitat. Specifically, the Spanish nationalist entity wanted to eliminate the requirement for candidates to demonstrate a B2 level of Catalan.

With March 20th marked on the calendar as the date that could derail the government's budget, the PSC is working against the clock to try to add ERC's votes to the project. To the calls for responsibility made by the President of the Generalitat, Salvador IllaThe Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, added this on Monday during the first of the appearances before Parliament regarding the 2026 budget, which all ministers will make during the week. Before the Committee on Institutional Affairs, Dalmau insisted that the country "needs" a new budget and that the government cannot continue governing with the 2023 budget. by patching it up through credit supplements"The Catalan government will fulfill 100% of the investiture agreements. That is our objective," he told the Republicans, who insist they will reject the project if there is no agreement to transfer personal income tax collection to the Catalan Tax Agency. The main stumbling block in the negotiations remains the "guarantee" the Republicans are demanding from the Socialists. Dalmau has not commented on the possible ways to achieve this, which range from an amendment to the Organic Law on the Financing of Autonomous Communities (LOFCA) to the Ministry of Finance itself, in the proposal it will submit to the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council, opening the door for regional tax authorities to manage major taxes. For now, however, the Ministry of Finance rejects all of these scenarios.

The expenses that the groups pass to the Parliament are once again in the spotlight. A year and a half ago, the chamber already had to change the criteria to avoid a lack of control and for groups to use them to pay extra salaries to deputies, as Vox had done. Now, a report from the chamber's auditor on group expenses during 2024 is once again causing a stir. According to what Vilaweb has reported and the ACN has confirmed, the document censures that the far-right party paid for a meal with deputies and advisors of the group organized in 2024 with Parliament money, which amounted to €2,605, with an expense of up to €184 on high-proof alcoholic beverages, and which the party has already fully reimbursed. Junts also comes out singed: the auditor questions the expenses for travel, meals, and organization of a working day in Belgium with 60 people that cost around €47,500. This is not the first time Vox has been in the eye of the storm for incorrect expenses. Its leader in Parliament, Ignacio Garriga, already had to return €380 in personal expenses, such as AMPA fees. At the time, he maintained that he had submitted the invoice to the Catalan chamber by "mistake." In a statement this Thursday, the far-right party assured that it has already paid the chamber for both the meal and the expenses of an event on agriculture in Lleida – costing around €5,000 – because the auditor informed them that they "could exceed" the activities attributable to the parliamentary group. Sources from Vox assure that they returned the money before the auditor's report was made public. In the case of Junts, what the auditor questions is the "proportionality" in the expense of the days in Belgium, where the party's leader, Carles Puigdemont, is still in exile. There were deputies from the group during the last legislature, but also advisors and staff hired by the formation. In this case, the party has not returned anything nor has it commented on the issue. The PP and "gifts"

In the report, the auditor also censures that the PP, with the subsidy money from the group, paid for "Christmas gifts" worth €1,900 to 30 people, including deputies, group staff, party officials, and parliamentary group collaborators. "They do not find a legal basis because it is a businessman's gratuity that cannot be assumed by a public administration," the report states, citing a Constitutional Court ruling that concludes this. Another of the elements scrutinized is the amount of money that each group passes directly to the political party from the subsidies they receive for parliamentary activity. This is a permitted purpose, but the auditor also raises the possibility of establishing a "maximum limit" for these contributions. It should be noted that in 2024, changes were made to the system of resource allocation to parties so that the Generalitat – not the chamber – would assume part of the expense of subsidies to political organizations, with an annual budget of 9 million euros. In 2024, three groups allocated more than 99% of their subsidy to the party: Comuns, CUP, and PSC. Vox and Aliança Catalana, on the other hand, did not transfer anything. According to the report, as reported by the ACN, Aliança has not spent any of the €33,572 subsidy it received in its first year of parliamentary activity, after winning two seats in Parliament.

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The expenses that political groups submit to Parliament are once again under scrutiny. A year and a half ago, the chamber already had to change the criteria to avoid loss of control and that the groups used them to pay bonuses to their members of parliament, as Vox had done. Now, a report from the Catalan Parliament's Audit Office on the groups' expenses during 2024 has once again stirred controversy. According to reports Vilaweb And as confirmed by ACN, the document criticizes the far-right party for using Parliamentary funds to pay for a retreat with members of parliament and advisors from the group organized in 2024, amounting to €2,605, including up to €184 spent on high-proof alcoholic beverages, which the party has already fully reimbursed. Junts is also under scrutiny: the Catalan Audit Office is questioning the travel, retreat, and organizational expenses for a working session in Belgium with 60 people, which cost approximately €47,500.

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The ideological axis became evident this Wednesday in Parliament and has overridden the differences on the national axis maintained by parties such as the PP and Junts. The Junts members sided with the Popular Party in defending a bill by Alejandro Fernández's group that proposed eliminating the inheritance tax. The initiative also received the support of Vox and Aliança Catalana, but it will not be processed in Parliament because the amendments to the whole presented by the PSC, ERC, and the CUP have prospered. This tax has always represented the dividing line when identifying a left-wing or right-wing party. And, in this case, it was no exception.

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It has been a week since Salvador Illa returned to work, and this Wednesday he faced his first parliamentary question time since being diagnosed with osteomyelitis pubis. The President of the Generalitat received a warm welcome and the support of all members of parliament for a return marked by a clash with the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) over the budget. This weekend, the Republicans They slammed the door on negotiating the accounts. And this Wednesday they again demanded that the Catalan government fulfill the condition they set for sitting down to discuss the budget: clearing the way for Catalonia to collect income tax. "There is room for agreement. I extend my hand and ask you to take it," Illa argued, addressing the president of the Republican group in the Catalan Parliament, Josep Maria Jové. The ERC leader, however, demanded that the head of the executive "pressure" the PSOE and not Esquerra to comply with the income tax collection. "The one he should be pressuring is the PSOE, not us," asserted Jové, who assured that the Republicans maintain their open hand.

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The Catalan Parliament has approved a long-standing demand of prison officers: to be recognized as law enforcement agents. The demand, which gained momentum after the murder of Núria, a cook at Mas de Enric prison in March 2024, by an inmate, was a proposal from the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) that passed with votes from the People's Party (PP), Vox, Catalan Alliance, and Together for Catalonia (Junts). In addition to prison officers, the status of law enforcement agent—already held by police officers, doctors, and teachers, among others—will also be extended to prison directors and rehabilitation staff: psychologists, educators, lawyers, and social workers. With Thursday's decision, Catalan prison officers become the first in Spain to achieve this status. Until a few months ago, the Catalan government had justified the measure by saying that only the Spanish government could approve it, but on the first anniversary of the crime in Mas de Enric, the Minister of Justice, Ramon Espadaler, He pledged to grant this prerogative using the powers that Catalonia has been delegated in matters of prisons.The proposal presented by the PSC, which was processed through the single reading procedure, initially limited itself to granting the status of law enforcement officers to prison guards. However, following an amendment by Junts, this status was extended to treatment officers as well. This occurred despite opposition from the Comuns, ERC, and CUP parties, who unsuccessfully attempted to block the proposal. Attempts by Vox and the PP to extend this status to other prison staff were also unsuccessful. Thus, the law approved this Thursday applies only to officers, both security and treatment, who work inside the prison, as confirmed by sources within the Department of Justice. However, prison sources criticize the law for not including among the new law enforcement officers those who work in the prison, such as cooks, sports instructors, or art workshop leaders, nor those employed by the Center for Initiatives for Reintegration (CIRE) who teach various trades to inmates.

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After a week of chaos on the commuter rail network, the opposition has pounced on the Catalan government, demanding accountability for the state of the network and the service disruptions. Replacing Salvador Illa –still hospitalized—The Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, appeared before Parliament to defend the government's actions regarding the service disruptions following the accident in Gelida, a crisis that on Monday resulted in two dismissals: the operational director of the commuter rail service and the director of operations for Adif (the Spanish railway infrastructure manager). However, the opposition is not satisfied and is demanding a reshuffle of leadership positions within the Generalitat (the Catalan government), starting with that of the Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque. All political groups except Comuns have demanded this, although they have suggested that the same person should not bear the responsibility for two of the government's most pressing issues: trains and housing. Nevertheless, the government is standing firm behind the Minister and her team.

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Hyper-leadership is a widespread characteristic in newly formed political parties. Podemos experienced this firsthand with Pablo Iglesias, Ciudadanos with Albert Rivera, Vox with Santiago Abascal –although its founders were different–, Junts with Carles Puigdemont, and now Aliança Catalana with Sílvia Orriols. It's true that more established parties aren't immune either, and there are countless examples, though these tend to be tempered by internal changes over time. Orriols' public exposure helps her party grow, as all the polls confirm. Behind closed doors, hyper-leadership becomes more difficult to manage, even in the case of Aliança, according to some within the party. This hyper-leadership is put to the test every week in the Catalan Parliament, where Orriols' interventions in plenary sessions are the main message that Aliança uses in all its communications. But Orriols isn't alone in the room. A few weeks ago, Aliança's communications secretary, Lluís Areny, and Rosa Maria Soberana, the deputy who serves alongside Orriols in the Catalan Parliament, refused to take questions at a press conference. In this regard, some within the party suggest that only Orriols could provide certain answers. Since then, they haven't even held their usual weekly press conference in the Catalan Parliament. A review of the party's social media reveals that most of the videos Aliança posts on its profiles are of Orriols' speeches in Parliament. The official accounts even repost speeches from months ago, highlighting some of the party's key issues, notes political communications consultant Xavier Tomàs. This is "unthinkable in any other party" and serves to further "reinforce" the hyper-leadership, he adds.

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The outbreak of African swine fever in Catalonia caught the attention of the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, official trip to MexicoDespite repeated demands from ERC, Junts, the CUP, and the PP for his return, the president continued with his agenda in the country, highlighted by Barcelona's participation as guest city at the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL). Upon his arrival from Mexico, Isla faced criticism from part of the opposition during the parliamentary question time, where he defended his decision to maintain his pre-arranged meetings, both at the FIL and in Mexico City, which included economic events. "I have my own way of leading and managing; I admit there may be others. I admit I can make mistakes. I sincerely believe that, in this case, I haven't made any," Illa asserted. He maintained that the Catalan government has addressed the crisis with "science, transparency, collaboration," and support for the sector.

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Corruption continues to threaten Pedro Sánchez's government. The Civil Guard has produced a report in which Santos Cerdán, former organizational secretary of the PSOE, appears as the link between the Spanish government (specifically Minister Ábalos, who was Minister of Transport) and the construction company Acciona.

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Outrage in the Catalan Parliament over a new attack by Vox on the memory of the former president of the Generalitat Lluís CompanysThe far-right party has a poster calling the Republican a "murderer" hanging in a window of its office in the House of Representatives, but this Wednesday it took advantage of the floral offering before the sculpture commemorating his execution to enlarge it. On the occasion of the event in the courtyard of the Parliamentary Library, Vox placed even more posters, visible from the offering area, leaving one in the same place where a wreath had been laid in memory of the former president.

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Esquerra did not bring any resolution proposal defending the self-determination referendum in last week's general policy debate – it voted in favor of those of Junts and the CUP – but it did write one that advocated for its success. an "understanding of the country" that would serve to resolve the political conflict. Beyond their continued advocacy of a referendum, the Republicans understand that the "country is in a different place" right now. "The Parliament recognizes the need to promote a broad national understanding in defense of democracy, for the resolution of the political conflict, and for advancing the national and social sovereignty of Catalonia. An understanding that challenges the entire Catalan society with the participation of social stakeholders and civil society," the proposal stated. The initiative garnered 107 votes from the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), Junts (Junts), ERC (Electrical Regionalist Party), Comuns (Comuns), and the CUP (Cup). A large majority that the Republicans were proud of, but at this point there is still no clarity on how it will materialize. Have any steps been taken a week after this vote? What difference is there with the national convention that ERC agreed upon for the investiture of Salvador Illa?

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Parliament on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry into irregularities at the DGAIA (Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care) between 2011 and 2025, which the House of Representatives unanimously approved in July. Following a trickle of media reports about the agency's poor performance, benefits improperly paid to young people who were formerly in care, and the maintenance of ghost squares In centers, the PSC, ERC, and Comuns promoted the creation of the commission, chaired by Socialist MP Jordi Riba and with Republican Anna Balsera as vice-president. In the distribution of positions on the table, Junts has been assigned the secretariat, which is held by Maria Àngels Plans. In principle, the deputies will have to present their conclusions before the end of the year.

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One minute and result from Gaza: The Israeli government approved the first phase of Donald Trump's plan tonight. And therefore, the ceasefire will go into effect tonight at 12:30, which is 24 hours after its approval. The living hostages will be released between Sunday and Monday, as will the bodies of the hostages. Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip have not stopped. There were airstrikes and artillery fire this Friday morning. Trump announced that he will travel to Egypt this Sunday for the "official signing" of the ceasefire agreement and that he has also agreed to give a speech in the Israeli Parliament. The certainty that Trump will claim the medals is more certain than the ceasefire.

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This Thursday afternoon, everything was going downhill in the Catalan Parliament. Long gone are those general policy debates that maintained tension until the last minute, characterized by back-and-forth in the corridors, negotiations until the last minute, and tension at the Parliamentary table over whether or not to admit a resolution related to self-determination (or the monarchy) that could leave its members in a lurch. The atmosphere in the Catalan chamber on this final day had nothing to do with all that; it's the new island peace.

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The independence movement no longer enjoys a majority in the Parliament, but it is once again gaining ground in the general policy debate. The Brussels agreement reached between Junts and the PSOE for Pedro Sánchez's investiture is the cornerstone of the resolution proposals from Carles Puigdemont's party. Thus, Junts will seek to have the PSC position itself in Parliament in favor of negotiating a referendum within the framework of the Swiss roundtable. This is stated in one of the points of the resolution proposals that the parliamentary group will vote on this Thursday, in which they seek to have Prime Minister Salvador Illa "align" with the Brussels agreement with the PSOE. However, that agreement stipulated that Junts would bring the negotiation of a referendum to the Swiss negotiating table, but now the judiciary members are going a step further and maintain that "the holding of a self-determination referendum will be raised within the negotiation space provided for this purpose." Isla, who has repeatedly positioned himself against the referendum, will have to make a statement.

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Vox and the Catalan Alliance have focused on immigration, security, and fiscal policy in the general policy debate. These are the topics typically debated by the two far-right parties in the Parliament, and the other parties have—with some disagreements—applied to them. a cordon sanitaire to try to limit the scope of their proposals and prevent the parliamentary platform from becoming a platform for hate speech. We at ARA have analyzed the speeches of their leaders in Parliament, Ignacio Garriga and Sílvia Orriols, to detect the false information they both provided throughout the debate.

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Salvador Illa knows that a large part of the viability of the legislature depends on the PSOE agreeing to comply with the agreement for one-off financing. Therefore, in the speech that opened the general policy debate on Tuesday, the president of the Generalitat reiterated his commitment to comply with this pact and that he would present a "concrete" proposal when he had one. This is the proposal that the First Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, is expected to present in the coming weeks to reform the entire regional financing model. But for the Republicans, "words" are no longer enough, and they demand "actions," which is why they redoubled their pressure this Wednesday. "Time is running out; we could say it's overtime," warned the president of the ERC group, Josep Maria Jové. As long as there are no steps that serve to materialize this financing, the Republicans maintain that they will not negotiate the budget.

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Among dozens of activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla were former mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, ERC councillor in Barcelona Jordi Coronas and CUP MP Pilar Castillejo, who is still detained. Three representatives of three Catalan left-wing parties, Comuns, ERC, and the CUP, who in recent days have forcefully raised their voices against the genocide in Gaza. So did the PSC, which followed in the footsteps of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez and defended measures against Israel to end the massacre. On the right, the position has been the opposite, which has highlighted and exacerbated the fracture in the left-right axis on this issue.

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