Barcelona – A new poll released by El Mundo indicates that the far‑right separatist party Aliança Catalana has risen sharply, now commanding 16.7% of voter intentions for the 2028 regional election. The surge places the party just behind Spain’s ruling Socialists and ahead of the long‑standing pro‑independence party ERC.
Immigration and security drive support
Aliança’s leader, Silvia Orriols, 41, attributes the party’s growth to growing frustration with established politicians and concerns that immigration is diluting Catalan identity. “People have regained hope and drive to fight for the restoration of the Catalan state, to implement policies aimed at preserving our identity,” Orriols told Reuters.
Orriols also pointed to recent right‑wing successes in Europe, noting the Alternative for Germany victory in Saxony‑Anhalt as evidence that “Europe is awakening” and that “We Europeans are shielding ourselves in order to survive.”
Local clashes highlight deepening divides
Earlier this month, riot police intervened to prevent violent clashes between Aliança supporters and left‑wing separatists during Barcelona’s September 11 national day celebrations. The incident underscored the widening rift within the independence movement, complicating any effort to form a coalition capable of unseating the regional Socialist government.
Traditional pro‑independence parties have ruled out any governing agreement with Aliança, citing the party’s hard‑line stance on immigration and its call for a total ban on new migration. Junts, another separatist party, is attempting to position itself as a pragmatic centrist alternative, offering its own proposals on migration and security, though senior Junts officials described Aliança’s plans as unrealistic and discriminatory.
Electoral shift reflects changing voter concerns
A July survey of Catalan voters found that affordable housing, migration and crime now top the list of concerns, replacing the economic anxiety that drove the 2017 independence push. Historian Joan Esculies observed, “The 2017 independence push was driven by economic anxiety, whereas Aliança responds to demographic anxiety.”
Despite the fragmentation, support for outright independence remains relatively strong. The same survey showed 45% of respondents still back independence, down only slightly from a 2017 peak of 49%.
Critics warn of divisive rhetoric
Left‑wing separatist Hug Lucchetti condemned Aliança’s rhetoric as “xenophobic, racist discourse of exclusion,” urging other separatist groups to counter the narrative. Yet Orriols maintains that the party’s message resonates with voters who feel abandoned by the traditional independence parties after the failed 2017 referendum.
Aliança’s rise from 3.8% to 16.7% of voter intentions within a year illustrates a broader European trend where regional parties capitalize on immigration concerns to broaden their appeal. As the 2028 Catalan election approaches, the party’s growing influence is likely to force traditional separatist forces to reassess their positions on migration and public safety.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
