President calls for unity in break from decade of pro-independence demands

President Salvador Illa called for "unity" among Catalans ahead of National Day in a televised speech from government headquarters on Tuesday night.

Illa, who was elected president in early August, is the first Socialist politician to hold the post since 2010, breaking more than a decade of pro-independence leadership.

"Catalan National Day belongs to all Catalans," he said, marking a departure from the pro-independence rhetoric that has dominated these speeches for the past 14 years.

Illa also celebrated diversity, stressing that Catalonia was built "thanks to generations of people who came from other parts of Spain and the world."

"Anyone who comes to improve Catalonia is Catalan," he added, a phrase he has used before in parliament when addressing far-right parties.

The president also stressed the importance of not "turning a blind eye" to the migration crisis, which he said is driven by global inequalities that no country can solve on its own.

"Catalonia has always been a land of welcome and solidarity. Now we will once again lead by example," he said.

In his first National Day speech, the president also laid out his priorities for the new term, with a particular focus on strengthening public services.

"A prosperous and just nation for all is truly built in the classrooms, primary care centers, libraries, senior centers, and in the streets and squares of safe neighborhoods," he said.

Another priority for the Socialist executive will be to address the housing crisis in Catalonia, especially to help young people gain access to it. Housing was recently revealed to be one of the main concerns of Catalans.

Illa also said he would work to ensure fairer wages and equality between men and women. "These three challenges have three basic points in common: generating wealth and governing for all," Illa added.

The speech comes on the eve of National Day, with a pro-independence protest expected in the center of Barcelona and for more municipalities on Wednesday at 4pm.

September 11 has historically seen some of the largest demonstrations by the pro-independence movement, but it remains uncertain how the movement will respond this year as it faces a period of crisis marked by its worst parliamentary results in recent years.

New Socialist cycle - What’s next for Catalan politics?

After the former Catalan President, Pere Aragonès, of the pro-independence Esquerra Republicana, failed to secure enough support for the 2024 budget, a snap election was called in May.

The Socialists, led by Salvador Illa, won in terms of seats and votes, but fell short of an absolute majority, forcing them to seek support from other parties. 

After months of political wrangling and talks of re-election, Illa secured the necessary support from Esquerra Republicana and left-wing Comuns Sumar to be appointed president of Catalonia. 

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