Language Motion Passes With Key Abstention
Sabadell’s city council has approved a motion to establish a dedicated Regidoria (deputy mayor’s office) for the Catalan language, following a plenary session on Monday, 28 September 2026. The proposal, put forward by ERC, La Crida and non-attached councillors Lluís Matas, Katia Botta and Gabriel Fernàndez, passed after the PSC chose to abstain, allowing the measure to proceed despite opposition from Vox and the PP. The motion commits the municipal government to strengthen Catalan in public life through three main actions: creating a new city council department focused on language policy, forming a local advisory council, and joining a supramunicipal body such as Municipis per la Llengua. These steps align with the broader Pacte Nacional per la Llengua, which Sabadell has already signed.
Government Cites Adjustments in Decision
Eloi Cortés, spokesperson for the governing coalition and first deputy mayor, explained that changes made to the motion influenced the PSC’s decision to abstain rather than oppose. He acknowledged that language policy warrants dedicated time, resources and funding. However, Cortés also criticised aspects of the motion, calling it an "error" to attribute all challenges facing Catalan solely to the Spanish state. "The language is a sufficiently important issue to dedicate effort, resources and money to," Cortés stated, according to reporting from Ràdio Sabadell. Meanwhile, supporters emphasised the urgency of reinforcing Catalan, which they describe as a minority language under pressure. Sever Salvador of the Taula Sabadellenca per la Llengua Catalana, who presented a related motion on educational immersion, warned that recent rulings by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) have weakened the Catalan-language school model.
The motion calls us to unite and be consistent with our commitment to the National Language Pact.
, Guillem Fuster, La Crida councillor Gabriel Fernàndez, a non-attached councillor, stressed that languages survive not through sympathy but through utility, urging active promotion of Catalan in daily use.
Opposition Rejects Measure
Vox and the PP voted against the motion, arguing that such a dedicated office is unnecessary. Their opposition aligns with previous stances, including a rejected campaign by Vox against Arabic extracurricular classes in the city, which had drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. The council’s decision marks a renewed institutional effort to boost Catalan in municipal services, education and social life, building on Sabadell’s prior adherence to regional language protection frameworks.
Reported by isabadell.cat, Jordi de Arriba, plataforma-llengua.cat, eb.sabadell.cat, diaridesabadell.com, naciodigital.cat, parlament.cat, Ràdio Sabadell.
