Spain defends large Catalan banner in Madrid marking 50 years since end of dictatorship

The Spanish government has defended its decision to display a large banner in Catalan on Gran Vía in central Madrid, following criticism from opposition parties, including the conservative People's Party (PP).

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory Ángel Víctor Torres described the backlash as "incomprehensible" and said it “reflects poorly on those who criticize a co-official language that has as much history as any other."

The banner, installed ahead of the 50th anniversary of the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco on November 20, 1975, features the phrase, written in Catalan: "Being able to display an ad in Catalan in the middle of Gran Vía." 

A smaller line in Spanish below states: "Democracy is your power," underscoring that the right to use Catalan is protected by Spain's democracy.

"This country has official languages," the minister said, drawing a parallel between the criticisms of the Catalan banner and opposition to the creation of democratic memory spaces, especially during commemorative events marking the 50th anniversary of Franco's death.

The Spanish government's campaign – which also includes ads in Galician and Basque – highlights democratic values, including pluralism, freedom of expression, and the right to information, while marking a date historically significant for Spain's transition to democracy.

Catalan banned

In the first years following the Spanish Civil War, the dictatorship embarked on a programme of "the systematic destruction and public destruction of Catalan language, culture and identity."

Yet, despite the authorities' best attempts to change the language of millions of Catalans, many, possibly most, kept speaking it at home and using it in private settings, and the language did not disappear.