Catalan President Salvador Illa has directed his government to prioritise the fight against inequality and reinforce the welfare state, according to officials at a summit held in Món Sant Benet, Sant Fruitós del Bages, on 26 April 2026. This instruction marks the mid-point of the legislative term, with Illa urging his ministers to ensure policies directly impact citizens' lives.
The directive follows a challenging start to the year, marked by crises in public transport, education, and healthcare. It also comes as far-right parties gain support and with municipal elections just a year away. Illa emphasised the need for accelerated action, particularly in areas like affordable housing and support for dependent individuals, even as new budget approvals remain uncertain.
Focusing on Direct Impact
President Illa has observed the tangible benefits of policies such as providing keys to social housing or regularising the status of immigrants. He noted these have a more direct impact than discussions on projects like the expansion of El Prat airport. Consequently, he has recently stressed the urgency of building more affordable housing, even if it means increasing density, to address Catalonia's significant deficit of reasonably priced homes.
He also highlighted the Spanish government's process to regularise half a million immigrants, calling it an exemplary move to help people out of administrative limbo. This focus on direct, visible results is central to his government's renewed efforts.
Tackling Inequality and Welfare
Combating inequality and strengthening the welfare state will now be central to Illa's public discourse. On Sunday, he announced a new initiative to reduce waiting lists for dependency aid, a process currently taking up to 397 days for applicants to have their right to a benefit recognised. "We do not want them to wait any longer," Illa stated, specifically referring to the 18,200 individuals in severe dependency situations. He plans to visit a Barcelona care home on Monday to highlight this urgent issue.
Illa warned that "inequality is the internal threat our societies face." He reiterated the risk to social cohesion posed by the concept of 'national priority' for public service access, a stance advocated by the PP and Vox parties. The choice, he stressed, is between a welfare state for everyone or "for a few," between inequality or social cohesion, and between "humanist politics or cruelty." Catalonia, he affirmed, knows which side it must be on. "Be very careful about classifying citizens as first and second class, not one step down that path," he cautioned, referencing situations in the United States where migrant individuals are pursued.
Defending Democracy and Humanity
Beyond internal threats, Illa also pointed to external dangers increasingly influencing domestic politics, summarised as a choice between peace or war, and between peace or autocracy. "The fragility of democracies is undeniable. We must defend democracy every day and at all levels," Illa argued. He referenced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's words at a recent progressive summit: "It's not America first, it's humanity."
With this philosophy, President Illa is rallying his government to work "at full speed," in his own words, to ensure their departments' actions directly translate into improvements for citizens. The next two months are critical for the mandate, as securing ERC's approval for the new budgets remains uncertain. These budgets are seen as essential to revitalising the government's management, which has faced several ongoing conflicts in recent months that Illa hopes to resolve before the political year ends.
