The Anticorruption Prosecutor, Fernando Bermejo, has concluded his report on the Pujol case, bringing it closer to a verdict in Barcelona. The report explicitly addresses a deeply rooted tradition within Catalan nationalism, cautioning that "This process does not attack Catalonia." Bermejo stated that the "Spain robs us" narrative is contradicted by a clientelist network that ultimately harmed Catalans.
Bermejo has reaffirmed the requested sentences for the Pujol family, described as a criminal clan. Jordi Pujol Ferrusola faces 29 years in prison for illicit association, money laundering, and commercial document forgery. Josep Pujol Ferrusola faces 14 years, while the other five siblings face eight years each. Although the patriarch, Jordi Pujol, has been exonerated, he remains at the "apex of the criminal organisation," according to the prosecutor.
Victimhood Narrative in Catalan Politics
The idea that opposing Pujol is equivalent to attacking Catalonia has been a consistent theme throughout the legal process. This victimhood mantra first emerged in 1984 during the Banca Catalana scandal, when prosecutors José María Mena and Carlos Jiménez Villarejo filed a complaint. Jordi Pujol, then president, famously rallied supporters in Plaça Sant Jaume, declaring, "The central government has made an unworthy move… From now on, we will speak of ethics and morals, not them!" Banners and slogans from that era, such as "Pujol = Catalonia," echo those chanted as early as 1960, when Pujol was court-martialled and imprisoned.
This victimhood has been a hallmark of Catalonia, which commemorates the defeat of 11 September 1714 in the European War of Succession. Pascal Bruckner, in his 1995 book 'The Temptation of Innocence', wrote that victimisation is "that tendency of the spoiled citizen of the 'capitalist paradise' to conceive of himself according to the model of persecuted peoples, especially in an era when crisis undermines our confidence in the goodness of the system." This perspective helps explain why the independence movement, promoted by Artur Mas in 2012, began during an economic recession. The Rajoy government could not agree to the "fiscal pact" demanded by Mas, whose Convergència party was consumed by corruption and whose nationalist government faced street protests over social cuts.
Sport and Politics: A Shared Narrative
The connection between politics and sport is clear. Just as opposing Pujol is seen by some as attacking Catalonia, the same applies to FC Barcelona. The club, known as "more than a club," often attributes sporting setbacks to refereeing conspiracies orchestrated from the Real Madrid box. This victimhood narrative is now spreading beyond Catalonia, with Real Madrid's president also adopting a similar stance, blaming the independent press.
Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, also uses this narrative, fighting against those he believes are not on the 'right side of history' and against 'pseudo-media' misinformation. He has previously championed the Palestinian flag against the "genocide" in Gaza and confronted "techno-oligarchs" and Donald Trump. Now, he acts as a guarantor of global health during the hantavirus epidemic. If criticised for opportunistic overacting, he responds that fascism never rests and that his progressive policies are being undermined by the usual suspects.
The Spread of Victimhood and Polarization
This contagion thrives in a sociopolitical environment marked by infantilisation, where opinions are stuck in self-deception and prejudice. Myriam Revault d'Allonnes notes in 'The Weakness of the True' that digital networks "encourage the isolation of individuals within the sphere of their pre-established convictions." This pattern extends from Pujol to Sánchez in politics, and from Laporta to Florentino in sport. Four examples of victimhood used to maintain power.
Given this widespread trend, it is not surprising that polarisation is here to stay. Bruckner suggested that the only antidote to this virus is to stop transferring childish privileges into adulthood. The truth, he implied, requires courage. The ongoing legal proceedings and the public discourse surrounding them will continue to shape how this narrative evolves in Catalonia and beyond.
