Illa defends a "centered" and law-abiding Catalonia in his National Day speech.

In the face of the patriotic rhetoric of his predecessors, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa (PSC) , took advantage of his official speech on the Diada to call for a "centered Catalonia."

This Wednesday, he asserted that his priorities are social cohesion, the climate crisis, global uncertainty, and also the new regional funding, which he pledged to fight for.

"Catalonia will make its voice heard, not by shouting louder," stated Illa, who asserted his full determination to "strengthen" institutions and self-government. His objective is very clear: "to improve the lives of Catalans to contribute to the shared prosperity of the rest of Spain and to help guarantee Europe's strategic autonomy."

The president took the opportunity to reach out to the other parties. He did so just after ERC ( Republican Left) announced its sole submission in Congress of a proposal seeking to "enable" the Catalan Treasury to begin collecting personal income tax. This measure has not been agreed upon with either the Socialists or any other parliamentary group.

Illa advocated for "guaranteeing the plurality of society," which means "excluding no one" and "not giving in to intolerance." He defended values ​​such as the "general interest" and also saw unity as a priority since, he said, "the Catalan nation is woven from the foundations of the future with the renewed consensus of all citizens."

"From all and for all"

"We want a Catalonia for everyone, within the legal and institutional framework ," he proclaimed. Illa will preside over his second Diada this Thursday, September 11th, after coming to power, with the independence movement excluded from the government and without a majority in Parliament.

The main organizations advocating for a break with the rest of Spain have planned a decentralized day of protests, with simultaneous demonstrations in Barcelona, ​​Girona, and Tortosa (Tarragona), with the goal of halting the climate of apathy and demobilization that has taken hold among their ranks.