An unexpected and important ally Formalization of Catalan inside European Union. Spanish diplomatic sources announced this French officials do not object By the will of the government Pedro Sánchez to reach Recognition of Catalan as an official language of the EUOne of the demands of Junt’s independentists to invest in the socialist leader. “France wants convenienceThese sources told EL PERIÓDICO of the Prensa Ibérica group and other Spanish media that “the composition of the new administration in Spain” is “not hostile to the will of the Government.”
“The important thing is not the speed, but the achievement of the goal,” Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares said on TV3 last week. He actually implied that it was a long process. Barring any surprises, there will be no vote in Brussels until next year at the earliest.
Reluctance from Latvia, Finland and Sweden
But the Spanish request has an advantage: Germany and France did not reject, the two main forces of community organizing. This support did not seem very evident at first, especially in the case of France. There is more than one in the neighboring country 70 regional languages (Breton, Alsatian, Catalan, Basque, and for a longer time), but none are officially recognized. Moreover, they have a very secondary role in public education, the media, and most other fields.
But Paris “thinks Strategic stability in Catalonia and Spain“, these sources explain. Therefore, at least “for now” France – a somewhat relevant nuance – does not pose an obstacle to the officialization of Catalan in the EU, followed by Basque and Galician. Negotiations Achieving this goal is expected to be complex Other Member States, which are smaller and have less weight in the bloc, have already expressed their reluctance. Finland, Sweden, Latvia or other countries east of the Old Continent. Due to the presence of a significant Rusophone minority, which the Latvian State has subjected to hostile language treatment, the Baltic country may be one of the most difficult countries to persuade to support Spain’s request.
“A Frenchman can claim different languages”
However, in the case of France The issue of so-called regional languages does not receive much attention in the media and political spheres. The Spanish Government’s request to give Catalan official European status created a minimalist effect in the French media. All this gives Emmanuel Macron’s government more room to maneuver.
The French president expressed his desire for these to happen on Monday. There are slightly more regional languages in French education. “A Frenchman can perfectly claim different linguistic affiliations. Everyone has the right to know, speak or transmit their own language or languages. This is an indisputable right,” he said in his speech at the opening of a state museum dedicated to France. said. French in Villers-Cotterets in the north of France. Although Macron does not intend to recognize the official status of any of these regional minority languages in his country, he does not have a hostile attitude towards them.