Catalonia’s New Far Right: How Anti-Muslim Sentiment Is Reshaping Politics

Nearly a decade after Catalonia’s failed 2017 independence bid, anti-migration and anti-Muslim sentiment is displacing secession as a major political force in the region. Far-right Aliança Catalana, which portrays Islam and migrants as threats, is projected to become Catalonia’s second-largest force after the Socialists in the 2028 regional election. Its growth has alarmed Muslims and drawn support from the pro-independence parties Together for Catalonia and the Catalan Republican Left. The party’s rise comes amid a broader rightward shift in Spain, where the conservative People’s Party and far-right Vox are gaining support ahead of a snap election in November.