The new Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, has placed his new responsibility at the head of the portfolio previously held by the Catalan socialist, Miquel Iceta, as the “key ministry” in the fight against the extreme right in Spain. It is, as he has said, a ministry that will have among its objectives "the democratic fight to continue defending fair societies and fighting hate debates."
“The Ministry of Culture must be the great ministry of plurinationality, of linguistic rights,” he indicated at a meeting of the Catalunya en Comú executive held this Thursday in Barcelona.
The communes have held a management meeting to analyze the new legislature that is starting and the current political situation. The new minister has taken part in it; the former Minister of Universities, Joan Subirats; the three coordinators of Catalonia in Commune, Ada Colau, Candela López and Jéssica Albiach; Members of Congress and Parliament.
At the meeting, Urtasun took the floor to boast about the reissue of the progressive coalition Government, praise the "most progressive government program in the history of democracy", in reference to the one agreed between the PSOe and Sumar, and point out the priorities from your portfolio.
In addition to trying to make culture accessible “to everyone and throughout the territory,” Urtasun has warned that “the extreme right is still very strong and we must confront this strength with more ambition.” For that, “we need (the new Government) to work better, do more” by putting into effect “as soon as possible” the terms of the agreement with Sumar.
And beyond the amnesty law, which "will allow more political stability" in Catalonia and Spain, he predicted, he said, taking on the challenge of culture "as a democratic combat to continue defending fair societies and the fight against hateful debates." ”. For the Minister of the Commons, his portfolio will be “key” in this fight and must be “the great ministry of plurinationality and linguistic rights,” he has prioritized.
The former mayor of Barcelona and president of the Barcelona en Comú parliamentary group in the Barcelona City Council, Ada Colau, also spoke at the meeting. In her opinion, this presence in the coalition government is a satisfaction because it will allow "the government to contribute in a context where the extreme right tries to attack the values of democracy." The former mayor has also positioned Urtasun's ministry as a "tool against hate speech”, to “reclaim cultural diversity, languages, the culture of peace…”
But Colau has also referred to the political situation in Barcelona, to demand that Mayor Jaume Collboni decide to sign a government agreement with the commons and with ERC. “We need progressive governments everywhere, also in BCN and this is not happening in the city,” he lamented. Colau recalled that his group supported the election of Collboni “to avoid a right-wing government with Junts”, but he reproached the mayor for “not being to the left of Pedro Sánchez, but Sánchez is much further to the left.” than Collboni.”
After regretting that there is still no open conversation with the PSC to explore a government agreement, the former mayor has called the current mayor's attitude "irresponsible" and has warned him that "if there is no left-wing pact, it will be a failure of the Mr. Collboni.”
