President Salvador Illa has identified housing as the most urgent issue for the Generalitat, Catalonia’s government, as he reviewed the first half of the legislature on Friday. For residents struggling to find a home, Illa said housing policy was now the main concern for both him and the executive council.
Speaking after returning from a visit to Vietnam and Singapore, Illa said that a “third great transformation of Catalonia” was under way. He described his government’s two years in office as “a great leap forward” for public services and infrastructure.
“We will solve these issues and we will have excellent mobility and education, and it won’t be long until that happens.”
Illa acknowledges education and transport problems
Illa said education and mobility remained problematic, while maintaining that his government would resolve both areas. He did not set out a timetable in his remarks for the improvements he described.
President points to social spending in budget
The president said the government was meeting its commitment to create “shared prosperity”, citing macroeconomic, employment and growth figures.
- Illa said the most ambitious budget in Catalonia’s history had been approved.
- He said two out of every three euros in that budget were allocated to social policies.
- Housing was placed ahead of other policy concerns in his assessment of the government’s priorities.
Illa became Catalonia’s 133rd president in August 2024. His appointment returned the Socialists to the Generalitat after 14 years of nationalist and pro-independence governments.
Reported by Source Text Link, Kitsoft, Thomson Reuters, catalannews.com, Euronews.com, Michael Wakin, thelocal.es, BBC, Sam Jones, Alberto León, Parlament de Catalunya, Marc Guasch Ferreiro, ARA, Agencias, Redacció, Pau Lizana Manuel, M.E., Mari Latorre.
