Catalan President Salvador Illa called for stronger political union within the European Union (EU) on Saturday in Barcelona, stating it is the necessary response to global instability. Speaking at an institutional event for Europe Day, Illa said the world is being "shaken" by global conflicts, forcing the EU to re-evaluate itself.
The event, held at the Disseny Hub, also featured Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, Minister for European Union and External Action Jaume Duch, former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, and other European officials. Illa explained that political union could be achieved through "a known, historically tested technique called federalism." He added that this approach aims to unite and highlight commonalities among member states, not to homogenise them, while respecting Europe's enriching plurality.
Illa pointed to external dangers such as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, but also warned of an internal danger: inequality. "Unequal societies, fragmented societies, have no common future," he stated. He maintained that the EU's founding values of enlightenment, freedom, fraternity, and equality apply universally and should be reaffirmed.
Barcelona's European Vocation
Mayor Collboni emphasised Barcelona's strong "European vocation," noting the city's active role in building a more urban, accessible, and decentralised Europe. He argued that after 40 years, Europe should ensure cities have a voice and that rights reach local neighbourhoods. Defending Europe, he said, means guaranteeing specific rights, such as the right to housing.
Collboni lamented the uncertain international situation, marked by threats and polarisation. He stressed that "more than ever, Europe must become a space of freedoms, rights, and defence of democracy against the law of the strongest."
Warnings from Romano Prodi
Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi warned that a "loss of unity is terrible" for Europe's future. He argued that this union should not be vertical, as Europe is a union of minorities founded on the principle of subsidiarity, which values not only states but also regions and municipalities.
Prodi criticised Europe's stance on various conflicts. "We have done nothing, absolutely nothing for the dramatic tragedy between Israel and Palestine, and even less are we doing regarding Israel's war with the United States in Iran," he said. He did, however, acknowledge the union's response to the conflict in Ukraine.
Minister Duch praised Prodi's contributions to the European project. He noted that the EU faces two options: "Evolve sufficiently to face the immense challenges of a very different world, or embark on the path of irrelevance, endangering everything we have achieved in recent decades." Duch affirmed that Catalonia, as a "fully European and pro-European society," is committed to contributing to a dignified union.
Maria Eugènia Gay, Vice President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, highlighted 9 May and the EU's foundation as "one of the most lucid moments" in European history, initiating an exceptional political experience. She stressed the importance of municipal representation in policy decisions, stating that Europe will be stronger if it is more local. "Given the present we are living, the answer lies in more Europe, more common policies, more democracy, more equality," she concluded.
During the event, Manuel Szapiro, representative of the European Commission in Barcelona, and Sergi Barrera, head of the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, moderated a discussion with students who shared their experiences from the Erasmus exchange programme.
