Jaume Duch, Catalonia's minister for European Union and foreign action, has argued that Spain has shown greater conviction in its stance toward the United States than the European Union as a whole. In an interview with Euronews, the former European Parliament official said Madrid's government has been "quite smart" in responding to criticism from the White House and has often led the charge on international issues.
Duch pointed to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's early challenge to US President Donald Trump's actions during the conflict with Iran. Days into the crisis, Sánchez was the only EU leader to directly confront Washington's approach. "In the following weeks, this position was also adopted by a majority of EU member states. This means that we were more convinced of our own positions," Duch said, adding that Catalonia fully aligns with Madrid on this front.
The minister acknowledged that the EU has "evolved a lot" in recent months. He identified a turning point: Trump's push to gain control over Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory. "This opened the eyes of many governments on this continent, and since then, the positions have changed," Duch said.
Spain's critical stance has drawn repeated fire from the Trump administration. An internal Pentagon email even suggested suspending Spain's NATO membership as punishment for refusing to assist in the Iran war. Duch noted that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has publicly stated that Spain is fulfilling its responsibilities within the alliance.
Towards a more autonomous Europe
Duch raised the possibility of a "Europeanised" NATO that rebalances the alliance to reduce reliance on the United States. "In Brussels, the discussion on this is still very open. In my opinion, it will depend on how the United States behave in the future, whether it will still be a very engaged member," he said. The announcement that the US plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, he added, "tells us that we need to be prepared ourselves, that we need to be more autonomous."
This call for greater European self-reliance echoes broader debates across the continent. As Trump threatens troop cuts in Spain and Italy over Iran war disputes, the question of European defence autonomy has become increasingly urgent.
Shifting to local politics, Duch—who represents Catalonia, not Spain, on the international stage—said that while Catalans feel European, a significant gap remains between Barcelona and Brussels. "There is a need to have answers from Brussels regarding the real difficulties people face, be it housing, social problems, or climate change. We need to narrow the distance between the European institutions and the citizens," he said.
In his view, regions and municipalities can bridge this chasm. "They are closer to the citizens than central governments. This is what we are trying to do. To influence decisions and also help people to understand the importance of being Europeans." He argued that regions are pivotal for European unity and democracy, noting that many EU decisions—from agriculture to fisheries to housing—are implemented by regional governments. "What you need is a very good relationship between those who are deciding here in Brussels and those who are implementing the rules on the ground, in this case, in Catalonia."
Improved relations with Spain
Just a few years ago, a Catalan minister discussing geopolitics rather than independence in Brussels would have been unthinkable. But Duch said things have changed. In the 2023 Catalan regional elections, the pro-independence movement lost its majority. "The parties in power now think Catalonia belongs in Spain, but at the same time, want to fight for the highest possible level of self-government," he said.
Nevertheless, the desire among Catalans to see their language recognised as an official EU language remains strong. "10 million people speak Catalan in Europe. Catalan is the 13th most spoken language in the EU, which obviously means that we Catalans, we also have the right to see this language become an official language of the EU," Duch said. In 2023, Sánchez promised separatist parties that Catalan, Basque, and Galician would be added to the list of official EU languages in exchange for support to form a minority government. That proposal has yet to gain traction in Brussels.
Duch remains optimistic. "I'm sure that the moment will arrive when our government will have the privilege to announce to the Catalan society that Catalan has become an official EU language." He stressed that this is "not related to being independent or not being independent."
