Video: @salvadorilla / X

Proposal to Strengthen Penal Code

The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, announced on Wednesday 30 September 2026 that the PSC will present a proposal in the Catalan Parliament to push for stricter penalties under Spain's Penal Code for illegal possession of firearms.

The initiative, revealed during the general policy debate, aims to amend Articles 563, 564, and 565 of the Penal Code to increase prison sentences and strengthen deterrence. Illa argued the current framework, unchanged since 1995, is outdated and fails to match penalties in other European countries.

Proposed Sentence Increases

Under the proposal, penalties for illegal possession would be significantly raised:

  • For prohibited firearms, current sentences of one to three years would rise to two to four years in prison.
  • Unlicensed possession of short firearms would see sentences increased from one to two years to 18 months to three years.
  • For long firearms without authorisation, the proposal would extend sentences from six months to one year to between one year and two years and three months.

Aggravating factors such as erased serial numbers, illegal entry into Spain, or weapon modifications would also face higher penalties, increasing from one to three years to up to four years in prison.

The goal is for harsher sentences to result in actual prison time in more cases, reinforcing deterrence.

Rising Firearm Incidents

The proposal follows a 45% year-on-year rise in firearm-related incidents in Catalonia during the first half of 2026, according to Mossos d'Esquadra data. A total of 68 incidents involved the actual use of real firearms, resulting in 27 injuries and six deaths.

Additionally, incidents involving the mere presence of real firearms, whether used or not, rose by 31%, from 88 in early 2025 to 127 in the same period this year. So far in 2026, 179 real firearms have been seized, a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.

Officials attribute the trend to the falling cost and increasing availability of short firearms, which are now more commonly used and displayed not only by organised crime but also by individual offenders.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by elnacional.cat, elmon.cat, El Periódico (CA), laciutat.cat, elpais.com, Newsroom Infobae, Departament d'Edicions del Parlament de Catalunya, eldebate.com, La Ciutat, regio7.cat, beteve.cat, Parlament de Catalunya, Guillem RS, es.ara.cat, Racó Català.