A heated political conflict has erupted in Catalonia over a new decree on the mass legalization of migrants. The Junts per Catalunya party has opposed the initiative, which would allow approximately 500,000 foreigners with irregular status to obtain the right to work and reside in Spain. Junts’ main objection is the lack of a mandatory requirement for knowledge of the Catalan language for those being legalized.
According to the terms of the decree, migrants are given a year to study the official languages of the autonomous regions. However, the specific languages—Spanish, Catalan, Galician, or Basque—are not specified in the text. As noted by the Catalan government, it will be the autonomous regions who determine how language proficiency must be demonstrated when renewing residence permits. Nevertheless, Junts insists that this approach does not sufficiently protect the status of the Catalan language and fails to consider the interests of the local population.
Junts’ arguments and opponents’ reactions
The Puigdemont party has strengthened its position, stating that mass legalization will overload municipalities and social services, with the most significant impact felt by vulnerable groups among the “national” residents. Meanwhile, critics point out that Junts’ predecessors from Convergència previously themselves reduced social spending and advocated for lowering the tax burden, which contradicts their current statements about social responsibility.
In a number of municipalities governed by Junts representatives, restrictions for migrants are already in place: for example, in Martorell, drawing water from public fountains is prohibited in order to prevent the settlement of undocumented migrants and ‘occupants.’ In addition, Junts opposes tax hikes and supports abolishing the inheritance tax, which also fuels debate about the party’s actual priorities.
Context: national priority and migration
The topic of ‘national priority’ has in recent years become central not only for Junts but also for other parties. In Extremadura, a similar slogan was used by PP and Vox, even though the proportion of migrants there is much lower than the national average. In Catalonia, nationalist and far-right forces have long used issues of language and identity to mobilize voters and oppose migration reforms.
At the same time, according to the Generalitat, once legalized, migrants will be able to work officially, pay taxes, and access social rights and obligations. However, Junts continues to insist on stricter language requirements and additional guarantees for the Catalan language, which is delaying the adoption of the decree and increasing tensions between regional and central authorities.
