Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, has reaffirmed confidence in his government’s direction as the fallout from the Pisa report error continues to fuel controversy. Speaking at the Palau de la Generalitat after returning from an official trip to Singapore, Illa dismissed the prospect of a cabinet reshuffle and backed Education Minister Esther Niubó. Her department faces criticism after a data error excluded Catalonia from the latest Pisa assessment. The error left 23% of students out of the sample, far above the 5% threshold. So, Catalonia’s results cannot be compared with those of previous years, intensifying scrutiny of the region’s education system.
Despite daily disruptions on the Rodalies commuter rail network and mounting unrest in schools, Illa offered a largely optimistic assessment of his administration’s progress. He pointed to recent budget approvals and a €1.4 billion public works investment plan through December, alongside improvements in employment and the return of major companies to Catalonia. Citing a jobless rate below 8% and increased investment in housing, Illa said the region was at a turning point. He insisted his government had stabilized Catalonia after a period of division and stagnation, aiming to make it “the best country in the world to invest and live in.”
Education remains a flashpoint. The Pisa report error has renewed calls for accountability, with unions planning strikes at the start of the school year. Illa expressed full support for Niubó and called for the issue to be resolved, but did not explain why it took four months to inform the public. He said both the right to strike and the right to education must be upheld, but stopped short of announcing new offers to unions. The wider policy debate, led by the Consell d’Educació de Catalunya, also covers inclusion, teachers and families. The council has proposed raising education spending to the equivalent of 6% of Catalonia’s GDP over four years and keeping agreed policies in place through changes of government. Its process will first gather views from education-sector participants before proposals go to political groups. The education crisis is set to dominate the political agenda as the new term begins.
Implementing the new regional funding model is now Illa’s top priority. The proposal is reported to provide Spain’s autonomous communities with €20.975 billion in additional resources, including about €4.686 billion for Catalonia. Illa has described it as a financing proposal, not a “cupo” or privileged fiscal arrangement. He characterized it as a transfer of administrative control over €21 billion currently managed by the central government. He argues that the model would benefit all regions and reduce funding disparities. It would replace a system considered outdated since 2014, but its passage still depends on parliamentary support. Both the PP and Junts oppose it. The next basic step is a meeting of the Council of Fiscal and Financial Policy on September 4. Illa challenged PP-led regions to follow the Canary Islands’ example in supporting the plan and asked what alternative they could offer. He said the agreement came through calm, loyal negotiation. While he maintains commitments to ERC on future tax collection, he insisted the funding model must come first.
Relations with coalition partners ERC and Comuns have so far enabled the government to pass 98% of its legislative agenda, with 84% voting alignment in parliament. Illa did not rule out passing a 2027 budget, but said the current financial plan could last the full term if necessary. Recent contracts include €450 million in public works, such as the Les Preses and Olot bypass, with another €500 million in projects expected by year-end. The government has also increased wildfire-prevention funding, raising the budget for firebreaks from €1.5 million to €15 million. It has called on citizens to help prevent forest fires.
After his Southeast Asia tour, which included stops in Vietnam and Singapore, Illa announced plans for more official trips this year, including a visit to Ukraine to demonstrate support and cooperation. The emphasis on international engagement echoes approaches in other Spanish regions facing external challenges. Ceuta recently called for national emergency measures in response to migration pressures, as reported in coverage of Ceuta’s response to a surge in migrant arrivals.
Catalonia’s education system has faced criticism in recent years over performance and resource allocation, and the Pisa report has traditionally served as a benchmark for progress. The Rodalies network, operated by Renfe, has long frustrated commuters with frequent breakdowns and delays. Plans to transfer the R1 line to the new mixed company Rodalies de Catalunya cover the section between Bifurcació-Sagrera and Maçanet-Massanes, while Sagrera station will remain under Adif ownership. The company is expected to begin operating the line in 2027, making the proposed handover a separate step from ongoing investment and service disruptions. The new funding model is part of a wider debate over fiscal autonomy and how resources are distributed among Spain’s regions, a recurring issue in national politics. How Illa handles these challenges will likely shape his government’s stability and Catalonia’s position within Spain in the coming years.
