The PSC candidate for the Catalan elections, Salvador Illa, yesterday starred in a political conference at the London School of Economics on how to strengthen Europe from Catalonia. Under the title Strengthening Europe from Catalonia, the leader of the Catalan socialists praised the federal model “for Catalonia, for Spain and for Europe”, and defended the “reconciliation” that he trusts will be the message that emerges from the elections of 12- M.
Illa positioned federalism as an alternative to the “politics of polarization”, of “division”, of “presidents who choose to confront instead of unite” and which, in his opinion, has been carried out in Catalonia in recent years. years and has caused “paralysis” in issues such as drought, renewable energy or innovation.
In federalism, a way of “understanding the world” and “governing ourselves,” different identities can coexist, according to Illa, because “it is a co-government with the commitment to unite and serve,” he defined, something that leads him to conclude that “ the future is federal. For Catalonia, for Spain and for Europe.”
Illa highlighted a political identity at three levels, with “more Catalonia in Spain and Europe, and more Europe and Spain in Catalonia”, because “only by strengthening the ties that unite us, uniting more and more, will we be able to preserve our precious democratic freedoms”, he added.
Along with federalism, Illa placed the upcoming parliamentary elections as a “preamble” to the European elections, citing the latter, which he warned of the dangers that threaten the European project due to the rise of the right and the extreme right. On the other hand, regarding the 12-M elections he expressed his “conviction” that the Catalans “will send the strongest possible message to the rest of Spain and Europe” in favor of “reconciliation”, “tolerance”, “integration”. ” and “cooperation.”
With this conference, Illa yesterday began the four-day work trip that will take him to London and Edinburgh, accompanied by the MEP and secretary of European and international politics of the PSC, Laura Ballarín, and the MEP Javi López. A trip in which he will meet, among others, with the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown.
