The tenor Josep Carreras has stepped into the scene. The Barcelona-born opera singer has become the latest protagonist of the Plataforma per la Llengua's campaign to obtain approval for Catalan to become an official language in the European Union. Carreras has spoken directly to Italy to ask the country not to veto Catalan's full use in the EU, as part of the Plataforma's 'Say yes' campaign. In a video, in which the former member of The Three Tenors expresses himself in Italian, he notes that the first translation in verse of Alighieri's Divine Comedy was to Catalan, and he uses this as an example to demonstrate the "long, intimate and undeniable shared history" between Catalans and Italians. Finally, Carreras calls on prime minister Meloni to accept the full membership of a "sister language of Italian" in the family of the EU's official languages.
'Say yes' to Catalan in the EU
Josep Carreras thus joins the campaign of videos addressing different EU countries promoted by Plataforma per la Llengua and in which the winner of the women's Ballon d'Or, footballer Aitana Bonmatí, also participated, making a similar request to Finland - along with Pep Guardiola, Joan Laporta, Kilian Jornet and others. On December 12th, the Council of the EU will once again debate, and eventually vote, on the official status of Catalan based on the new proposal to reform Regulation 1/1958, presented by the Spanish government on November 13th.
Every day in recent weeks on its social media accounts, Plataforma per la Lengua has published photographs of well-known Catalan figures showing posters in support of the 'Say yes' campaign, ranging from radio hosts Jordi Basté and Marc Giró, to chefs Ada Parellada and Carme Ruscalleda, and many more. The latest action in favour of Catalan by the Plataforma took place last Thursday, when the linguistic NGO unfurled two large banners demanding the official status of Catalan in front of the buildings of the Council of the EU and the European Commission, taking advantage of the meeting held that day by the ministers who will have to decide on Catalan in Europe.
Sánchez-Tajani conflict
The video of Josep Carreras comes shortly after a tussle between the Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, and the Spanish PM, Pedro Sánchez. The reason for the clash was that Sánchez included Italy among the wave of "ultra-right" and "reactionary" governments that have recently been proliferating in Europe and the world. Tajani replied that in Spain those who govern are "the secessionists", referring to Sánchez's pacts with the Catalan pro-independence parties, and questioned whether the rule of law is respected. "In Spain the extreme left rules. In Italy we have defeated them. We respect the rule of law. Does the same thing happen in Madrid? In Italy the EPP rules, in Spain the secessionists," said Tajani, leader of Forza Italia, in a message published on the social network X.