Overview
- Speaking from the Palau de la Generalitat, Illa said Europe faces a crucial moment and urged Catalans to defend democratic coexistence and shared prosperity.
- He linked his appeal to the Badalona eviction that left roughly 400 people without shelter, rejecting efforts to blame those with least and calling for reception and integration.
- He outlined priorities to bolster the welfare state, including public education and health, housing as a right, social aid for those most in need, and safer, cohesive neighborhoods.
- Though he did not name opponents, the message was widely read as a rebuke to anti‑immigration leaders such as Badalona’s mayor Xavier García Albiol, with Vox and Aliança Catalana also in the backdrop.
- Opposition parties escalated criticism: Junts labeled the address propaganda, while ERC and the Comuns faulted a lack of specifics on financing, housing, and Rodalies as key decisions loom in January.