Spain ‘more convinced of its own position’ on the US than the EU is, Jaume Duch tells Euronews

Catalan Minister for the European Union and Foreign Action, Jaume Duch, has told Euronews that the authorities successful Madrid has been "quite smart" erstwhile it comes to its effect to disapproval from the White House and broader planetary issues, and that generally, it has been much steadfast than the EU.

He pointed to the information that Spain is often among the archetypal to criticise actions taken by US President Donald Trump. Days into the struggle with Iran, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was the lone EU person to straight situation the war.

"In the pursuing weeks, this presumption was besides adopted by a bulk of EU subordinate states. This means that we were much convinced of our ain positions," the Brussels seasoned told Euronews, adding that Catalonia was afloat aligned with Madrid connected this front.

When asked whether helium thinks the EU is wavering connected specified matters, Duch said the bloc has "evolved a lot" successful the past fewer months.

"I deliberation determination was a turning point, namely, each the threats against Greenland," helium said, pointing to President Trump's propulsion to summation immoderate signifier of power implicit the Danish autonomous territory. "This opened the eyes of galore governments connected this continent, and since then, the positions person changed."

Spain, arsenic a effect of its captious stance towards the US, has repeatedly travel nether occurrence from the Trump administration, the latest illustration being an interior Pentagon email that adjacent suggested suspending its NATO rank arsenic punishment for rejecting calls to assistance successful the Iran war.

"The Secretary General of NATO [Mark Rutte] said beauteous intelligibly that Spain is doing its occupation and is taking each its responsibilities wrong NATO seriously," Duch, who acts arsenic the nexus betwixt Brussels and Barcelona, said.

He has raised the question of a "Europeanised" NATO — rebalancing the confederation to minimise EU reliance connected the US. "In Brussels, the treatment connected this is inactive precise open. In my opinion, it volition beryllium connected however the United States behave successful the future, whether it volition inactive beryllium a precise engaged member," helium said.

The Catalan curate noted that the announcement that the US is acceptable to retreat astir 5,000 troops from Germany "tells america that we request to beryllium prepared ourselves, that we request to beryllium much autonomous."

Local powers

Shifting to authorities connected a much section level — Duch, aft all, represents Catalonia, not Spain, connected the planetary signifier — the determination curate said that portion Catalans consciousness they beryllium successful Europe, determination is inactive a large spread betwixt Barcelona and Brussels.

"There is simply a request to person answers from Brussels regarding the existent difficulties radical face, beryllium it housing, societal problems, oregon clime change. We request to constrictive the region betwixt the European institutions and the citizens," helium said.

In his opinion, regions and municipalities tin span this chasm. "They are person to the citizens than cardinal governments. This is what we are trying to do. To power decisions and besides assistance radical to recognize the value of being Europeans."

In a sense, helium said, regions are pivotal for European unity and democracy.

"Many of the decisions taken successful Brussels [...] person to beryllium applied by the determination governments, from agriculture, fisheries, housing. This means that, successful reality, what you request is simply a precise bully narration betwixt those who are deciding present successful Brussels and those who are implementing the rules connected the ground, successful this case, successful Catalonia."

Improved relations with Spain

Having a Catalan curate speaking of geopolitics alternatively than Catalonia's independency successful Brussels would, conscionable a fewer years ago, person been unimaginable. However, Duch said, things person changed.

In the Catalan determination elections 2 years ago, the pro-independence question mislaid its majority. "The parties successful powerfulness present deliberation Catalonia belongs successful Spain, but astatine the aforesaid time, privation to combat for the highest imaginable level of self-government," Duch said.

Meanwhile, determination is inactive a tendency among Catalans to spot their connection recognised arsenic an authoritative EU language.

"10 cardinal radical talk Catalan successful Europe. Catalan is the 13th astir spoken connection successful the EU, which evidently means that we Catalans, we besides person the close to spot this connection go an authoritative connection of the EU," Duch said.

In 2023, Sánchez promised separatist parties that Catalan, Basque, and Galician would beryllium added to the database of authoritative EU languages successful speech for the enactment needed to signifier a caller number government. That connection has inactive not garnered enactment successful Brussels.

Duch said Catalonia has not mislaid hope. "We are optimistic. I'm definite that the infinitesimal volition get erstwhile our authorities volition person the privilege to denote to the Catalan nine that Catalan has go an authoritative EU language."

He concluded that this is "not related to being autarkic oregon not being independent".

"You don't request to beryllium autarkic to get each your rights successful the EU. And I adjacent deliberation that it volition beryllium overmuch easier to get this designation being a portion of Spain."