According to data from the CEO Barometer published on November 24, 10% of Catalans consider immigration the country's main problem. This percentage has increased significantly over the last decade, rising from 4.9% in 2015 to 7.2% in 2019. Concurrently, the foreign population in Catalonia has also grown, from 13.7% in 2015 to 18% in 2024.
The increase in concern does not correlate directly with the rise in migratory flow, suggesting a change in social perception rather than demographic reality. On the occasion of the International Migrants Day, several experts in Reus analyzed this trend, including sociologist Rafael Böcker from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and journalist Carlos Iaquinandi.
“"Social networks are an excellent opportunity for far-right populist parties."
Experts point out that supporters of parties like Vox and Aliança Catalana are those who, in greater proportion, view immigration as the main problem and, at the same time, those who use social media most as a source of information. Carlos Iaquinandi explains that these messages “instill fear of the unknown with distorted and embellished messages that appeal to emotions and rejection.”
This construction of “us” versus “them” is fueled by identity fears. Rafael Böcker emphasizes that the far-right “constructs the image of the immigrant based on what makes them visible and differentiable: skin color, the language they speak, but also clothing or their customs.”
Against the clichés about job and housing competition, experts agree in defining migration as a “double opportunity” for the receiving state, especially given the aging population and the need for labor in sectors such as agriculture, construction, or caregiving, as noted by Irina Ravelo and Liliana Caballero of Comunalitat El Rusc.
