Spanish elections and Catalonia: is the issue of independence still relevant?

Almost six years have passed since Catalonia's inhabitants took to the streets to defend their right to vote on October 1, 2017 in a violently repressed independence referendum deemed illegal by Spain, and it has been almost four years since the post-independence leader sentencing riots brought widespread mayhem. 

But with recent polls suggesting more Catalans are now against a split with Spain than those in favor of it, how relevant is the issue in the upcoming Spanish general election on July 23? And, given the tight race between the left and right blocs, could it condition potential post-election alliances? 

Find out what each party has to say about the matter, from those most staunchly against independence to those most staunchly in favor of it: 

Unionists

Vox: Suspending self-rule and outlawing "separatist" parties

References to the unity of Spain, protecting "the Nation," and the traditional family model permeate the far-right party's electoral program, which defends "an administratively decentralized united" state in which the central government oversees education, health, safety, and justice. 

Without explicitly mentioning Catalonia, the text proposes suspending self-rule for regional governments that undermine the unity of Spain. The party also pledges to reinstate the crimes of illegal referendum, sedition, and aggravated embezzlement while imposing harsher sentences for all of them. 

The far-right party, which could possibly back a People's Party but never a Socialist bid for power in the event of there being no clear majority after Sunday's vote, is in favor of prohibiting pardons for political reasons and wants Spaniards to vote on whether "separatist parties" should be outlawed.

People's Party: Reintroducing sedition and more Spanish in schools

The conservatives, which recent polls suggest have a chance at making a comeback on July 23, are in favor of reinstating the crime of sedition that Catalonia's independence leaders were found guilty of and which was recently struck from the criminal code. 

They also want to outlaw "unauthorized referendums" that are "aimed at undermining Spain" while "defining the principles of institutional loyalty, cooperation and collaboration between the State and the autonomous communities more precisely."

If the party wins, another important point of contention will be Catalonia's language immersion system in public schools, as the conservatives favor making Spanish a working language on par with Catalan. 

Socialists: Independence push now over 

According to PM Pedro Sánchez's Socialists, the Catalan independence push that culminated in the 2017 referendum and the 2019 post-sentencing riots is now a thing of the past that has been "overcome." 

"Puigdemont was a problem five years ago," Sánchez said in a recent interview with Eldiario.es. "Today, he's an anecdote."

The left-wing party, whose grasp on power after July 23 is anything but certain, wants to pass a so-called territorial cohesion law to promote cooperation within a "diverse Spain" but makes no explicit mention of the Catalonia-Spain dialogue table talks on the issue of independence that lost momentum over the last term. 

Their electoral program does not mention the Catalan language immersion system either, but it does call for strengthening co-official languages and restructuring the senate to improve "territorial representation."

Un-aligned

Sumar: "Permanent dialogue" but not a referendum 

Sumar, the 15-party coalition headed by vice president and labor minister Yolanda Díaz, favors "permanent dialogue" between the Catalan and Spanish governments, with Catalans voting on any agreement stemming from it. 

Unlike in the 2019 elections, when Podemos defended the need for a Catalan independence referendum authorized by Spain, the coalition to the left of the Socialists that it now forms a part of makes no mention of this. 

Instead, Sumar believes in the need for a "new agreement" that "recognizes and values Spain's diversity" with, for example, new tax arrangements or autonomy statutes for territories that want them.

The coalition, which could be key to securing a minority Socialist government, also believes co-official languages such as Catalan should be able to be used not only in public offices in their native territories but also across Spain and the EU.

Pro-independence parties

Esquerra Republicana: Less confrontational party hopes for a common pro-independence front

Despite favoring Catalan independence, the mainstream left-wing party that is in power in Catalonia is often considered more conciliatory with Spain than its more confrontational pro-independence counterparts due to its history of backing - or not opposing - the Socialists on key issues, such as the budget.  

In a recent press conference at the Catalan News Agency, however, Esquerra stated it would speak with Junts and CUP before backing another potential minority Socialist bid in the hopes of presenting a common pro-independence front in Congress. Furthermore, the party's Gabriel Rufián said Esquerra would only support Sánchez "if doing so would defend Catalonia."

Aside from independence and "defending Catalonia," the party stands for "democracy, freedom, feminism, and [the Catalan] language," and opposes, for example, right-wing efforts to dismantle the immersion system in schools or reintroduce the crime of sedition.  

Junts per Catalunya: No left or right bloc, only pro-independence or pro-Spain 

Junts, the former junior coalition partner in Catalonia, says it does not feel "obligated to choose between one bloc or another," and instead favors "a third bloc," especially as the Socialists and the People's Party "are always united against Catalonia." 

According to Junts, whose founder, Carles Puigdemont, remains in Belgium evading prosecution for the 2017 referendum, and whose high-ranking Laura Borràs was recently found guilty of corruption, posits itself as the only party truly defending Catalan independence. 

"Not a single Junts vote will go to anyone who intends to continue robbing and lying to Catalonia," the centrist pro-independence party's candidate, Míriam Nogueras, said at a recent campaign event in an obvious jab at Esquerra. "These elections are not about the left and the right, but rather about Catalonia and the Spanish state."

CUP: "Reactivating" the independence movement

The far-left pro-independence party will be running in a Spanish general election for the second time ever on July 23, this time with a slogan highlighting its goal of "standing up to" institutions that are "oppressive," such as the monarchy, the Catholic church, or the Ibex 35 stock market. 

The anti-capitalists claim to want to "reactivate" an independence movement they believe has long been co-opted by more mainstream Esquerra and Junts, and, in the words of the party's Albert Botran, they want to "affirm" Catalonia's sovereignty "and make it valid to whoever is in the Spanish government."

While CUP would not back a right-wing People's Party-Vox coalition, it also criticizes the Socialists for "defending the regime, the monarchy, and all of the state apparatuses." Because of this, it calls for "either self-determination or for them not to count on our support."