Alejandro Fernández criticizes Salvador Illa in Catalan political debate

Alejandro Fernández, leader of the People's Party (PP) parliamentary group in Catalonia, has launched a sharp critique against President Salvador Illa during a general policy debate. Fernández accused Illa of acting with a sense of moral superiority and ‘sermonizing’ others while failing to address critical issues in Catalonia, such as education, security, housing, and healthcare.

Fernández characterized Illa as a ‘Blandiblú’—implying a lack of political backbone—and accused him of being a ‘lackey’ to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He challenged Illa to confront Sánchez regarding regional financing and to defend the official status of the Catalan language in the European Union.

In a pointed rhetorical move, Fernández reminded Illa that they had previously participated together in a demonstration for Spanish unity in 2017, suggesting that the President’s current political stance lacks ideological consistency. Illa responded by condemning Fernández’s language as a form of hate speech.