Six of Catalonia’s most prominent pro-independence organizations announced a joint mobilization for the 2026 Diada, aiming to rebuild unity and street presence after years of internal divisions and declining participation. The Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANC), Òmnium Cultural, Associació de Municipis per la Independència (AMI), Consell de la República, Intersindical and Ciemen presented their plans as a coordinated effort to reconnect civic activism with political parties. The demonstrations took place on 11 September, Catalonia’s National Day.
Under the slogan “Here I am. Here we are. For the present and the future, independence,” the groups called for simultaneous demonstrations in Barcelona, Girona and Amposta. In Barcelona, two marches were scheduled to depart at 17:14 from Gran Via and Via Laietana, then converge at Plaça de Catalunya for closing speeches. Girona and Amposta hosted parallel events, reflecting the organizers’ aim of extending the mobilization beyond the Catalan capital.
The ANC and Òmnium framed the Diada as a possible turning point for a movement seeking to overcome years of division and declining street mobilization. Josep Vila, president of the ANC, argued that rebuilding political strength requires active mobilization, not simply identifying as pro-independence. After the Diada, he said the organization had moved beyond the “mourning of the process” and called for a renewed independence push, with autumn 2027, the tenth anniversary of the 1 October referendum, as a horizon for a major mobilization.
Vila also criticized the Catalan government led by Salvador Illa, accusing it of weakening Catalonia’s national identity and aligning too closely with PSOE interests. He linked those criticisms to public concerns over Rodalies rail services, housing, public health and education, and the Catalan language. ANC and Òmnium also tied their mobilization to wider concerns about housing, public services and language. These issues brought the independence movement’s appeal into everyday policy debates, alongside its basic demand for self-determination.
Òmnium Cultural president Xavier Antich echoed the call to reclaim public space, citing what he described as continuing violations of Catalonia’s national, linguistic and civil rights. He pointed to controversies over the implementation of the amnesty law, the Pegasus spyware case and court rulings affecting the language model in schools. Asked about the possible presence of Aliança Catalana supporters, Vila said the demonstration was open to all citizens, with no specific invitations or exclusions for parties, while reaffirming the organizers’ commitment to human rights and democracy.
The mobilization also sparked debate about relations between the civic organizations and Catalonia’s autonomous government. ANC accused public broadcaster 3Cat of taking part in what it called a “denationalization strategy” associated with Illa’s government. Amid complaints about police conduct during the Diada, the Generalitat expressed “maximum confidence” in the Mossos d’Esquadra. The statements reflected competing political positions surrounding the demonstrations.
Other participating organizations linked independence to public services and living conditions. The Consell de la República criticized the Generalitat’s latest funding agreement as inadequate, while Intersindical and Ciemen called for a national project that pairs sovereignty with a firm rejection of far-right ideologies and hate speech. The return of yellow as the official T-shirt color was intended to recall the mass mobilizations of the previous decade.
After the Diada, the CUP held discussions with ANC and Òmnium and described the event as a possible turning point. Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) said it was open to “listening and building majorities,” while Junts backed the appeal to restore pro-independence unity. The responses renewed political discussion among groups that have taken different approaches since the 2017 independence process. They were political reactions, but, not a formal common electoral or strategic pact. ANC has also described its goal as preparing a new independence offensive.
The renewed push for unity comes amid wider debate over regional funding and autonomy in Spain. Castilla-La Mancha’s leader has publicly criticized the funding system for deepening inequalities, as discussed in this analysis of regional funding disputes. For the Catalan groups, the Diada’s political significance lies in whether coordinated civic pressure can reopen dialogue among parties and sustain a renewed independence campaign.
Diada has long been a focal point for pro-independence activism, drawing large crowds in previous years. The organizations described the 2026 mobilization as an effort to reverse years of declining participation and rebuild cohesion. Renewed activity and public responses from ERC, Junts and the CUP show political attention; the organizers’ unity appeal now points toward the tenth anniversary of the 1 October referendum in 2027.
