Full Breakdown
Aliança Catalana’s Far-Right Surge Reshapes Catalan Politics Ahead of 2028 Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Rising Support and Changing Voter Concerns
A Reuters report on September 23 notes that the separatist party Aliança Catalana has moved from a marginal force to a poll leader, trailing only Spain’s ruling Socialists as Catalonia prepares for its 2028 regional election. A poll published by *El Mundo* this month shows voter intention for Aliança climbing from 3.8 % to 16.7 %, putting it 2.6 percentage points ahead of fellow separatist ERC. The same survey identified affordable housing, migration and crime as the top concerns for Catalan voters, a shift from the economic-focused anxieties that dominated the 2017 independence push.
Key Actors Behind the Momentum
- Silvia Orriols, 41, leader of Aliança Catalana, former librarian from a middle-class farming family, argues the party taps “frustration with established politicians” and fears that immigration “dilutes Catalan identity.”
- Eloi Radovan, 19, a former ERC supporter, says he feels “betrayed” by pro-independence parties and backs Aliança’s call for a total migration ban.
- Junts officials, speaking to Reuters, describe Aliança’s migration proposals as “unrealistic and discriminatory.”
- Hug Lucchetti, 45, left-wing separatist, condemns Aliança’s rhetoric as “xenophobic, racist discourse of exclusion.”
Official Positions and Criticism
Aliança’s platform emphasizes unilateral independence and stricter immigration controls. The party’s anti-Muslim messaging has resonated in the mountainous town linked to the 2017 Barcelona terror attacks. Traditional pro-independence parties have ruled out coalition deals with Aliança, fearing its “xenophobic” stance. Historian Joan Esculies characterizes the shift as “demographic anxiety” replacing the earlier “economic anxiety” that drove the independence movement.
Verbatim Quote
- “People have regained hope and drive to fight for the restoration of the Catalan state, to implement policies aimed at preserving our identity,” — Silvia Orriols
Data Snapshot
- Poll share: 16.7 % (El Mundo, September 2024) vs. 3.8 % (2023).
- Parliamentary seats: 2 seats secured a year after entering the Catalan parliament (2024).
- Independence support: 45 % in July 2026, down from a 49 % peak in 2017 (July survey).
These developments underscore a growing polarization within Catalonia’s separatist camp, as immigration and security concerns increasingly dominate the political agenda ahead of the 2028 vote.