Yes, a faction of the Catalan nationalist movement is shifting toward anti-immigration politics, driven by the rise of the far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana.

 

Yes, a faction of the Catalan nationalist movement is shifting toward anti-immigration politics, driven by the rise of the far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana.

The Rise of Anti-Immigration Nationalism

• Aliança Catalana: Led by Ripoll mayor Sílvia Orriols, this separatist party has gained traction by linking Catalan identity preservation to strict immigration controls. The party calls for a complete moratorium on immigration until local wages rise and demands that newcomers assimilate into the Catalan language and culture.
• Shifting Discourse: Traditional mainstream Catalan nationalist parties, such as Junts per Catalunya, have also faced pressure to address voter concerns over high immigration levels and cultural integration, altering a movement previously rooted mostly in inclusive civic nationalism.
• Ideological Shift: Observers note that while traditional Catalan nationalism historically aligned with anti-fascist and progressive globalist values, newer nationalist rhetoric increasingly focuses on cultural defense, assimilation, and anxieties surrounding globalism and Islamic fundamentalism.

Mainstream Resistance

• Divided Movement: Not all Catalan nationalists share these views. Mainstream pro-independence parties and leftist groups continue to reject anti-migrant platforms, condemning them as xenophobic or exclusionary.
• Core Tensions: Traditional leaders argue that strict anti-immigrant policies fracture the civic, inclusive identity that the broader independence movement has historically tried to project.