Barcelona, 7 October 2026, Catalan president Salvador Illa has entered electoral pre-campaign mode, launching a sharp critique of the Spanish right and far-right ahead of the 29 November general election. Speaking during a parliamentary control session, Illa framed the People's Party (PP), Vox and Junts as a unified bloc blocking social progress, particularly on housing.

"Three parties, PP, Vox and Junts, and one single vote: blocking access to housing," Illa stated, referencing the joint opposition last week to two decrees aimed at expanding affordable housing. His remarks mark a clear shift into campaign rhetoric, coinciding with the first full parliamentary session following the full amnesty for Carles Puigdemont and other exiled Catalan leaders, as well as the recent Spanish election call.

Illa, a key ally of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, positioned the upcoming national vote as a pivotal moment for Catalonia's interests. He argued that a victory for opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo would be detrimental, stating Feijóo "does not deserve the support of Catalonia." Instead, Illa urged voters to back Sánchez's federal vision for Spain, which he said remains essential for advancing Catalonia's political and social model.

Coalition tensions remain in background

While Illa's focus is now national, tensions within Catalonia's governing coalition continue to simmer. In 2022, Junts per Catalunya threatened a motion of confidence against then-president Pere Aragonès over unmet investiture agreements, including demands for a clear path toward independence and a dialogue table with Madrid.

We cannot continue like this.

Albert Batet, Junts spokesperson at the time, warned that without guarantees on the roadmap to independence, the party would demand a confidence vote. Though that immediate crisis passed, the underlying disagreements over strategy and pace of independence have not been fully resolved.

The current political climate, shaped by the amnesty and early elections, has shifted focus back to national dynamics. However, the fragility of the pro-independence coalition remains a structural factor in Catalan politics as the campaign for 29 November gathers pace.

Primary sources: revistes.eapc.gencat.cat, govern.cat. Reported by ara.cat, catalannews.com, Nació Digital, catalunyapress.es, CatalunyaPress.cat.