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Interview with the leader of the Andorran opposition, Cerni Escalé by Joel Picón

Interview with the leader of the Andorran opposition, Cerni Escalé by Joel Picón

Andorra la VellaCerni Escalé is one of the most prominent names in current Andorran politics. Leader of the opposition and president of the parliamentary group concordburst onto the scene with force in the 2023 general election, where his formation managed to be the second most voted force in its first candidacy.

With a career that combines a solid academic background and professional experience in the public sector, Escalade represents a new voice in the Andorran political scene, marked by a renewing vision and committed to current challenges.

From the opposition, he has positioned himself as a firm defender of social cohesion, sustainability, the protection of the Andorran language and identity. The leader of Concordia advocates for balanced growth and the need to address key issues such as the regulation of the housing market, the modernization of the economy and the strengthening of social equity in the country.

What is the situation of Catalan in Andorra?

It is the language spoken by approximately half of the Andorran population. They share a considerable linguistic mosaic, especially with Spanish, Portuguese and French, and the level of Catalan spoken by the residents of Andorra has increased over the last few years. But there are still problems with language use. In leisure, Spanish is used more than Catalan and this is particularly the case in commerce. If someone addresses a business in Andorra in Catalan and is answered in Spanish, within the business, 75% change their language.

How has it affected the significant increase in population in recent years?

Andorra is a country that has a lot of turnover among its immigration. This causes difficulties, the first of which is that social cohesion is more complicated with high turnover and more difficult to maintain identity. It is a problem similar to that experienced in other Catalan-speaking territories. In our case with the added difficulty that the population of Andorra in the last year has grown between 4 and 6% is something extraordinary, we have to consider that Spain is growing between 1 and 1.5%, and much of this immigration comes from Latin America.

Will requiring knowledge of Catalan for residence renewal have a significant impact?

I’m sure so. The new Andorran law establishes as a requirement for the renewal of the residence permit to pass the A1 level exam after one year and the A2 level to renew the second residence permit. It is important to highlight the importance of not requiring Catalan for those who arrive and to be open to people with different cultures choosing to live in the Pyrenees, but with the commitment to be more integrated into Andorran society.

What other measures do you think should be taken in the future?

In the future we can talk about residency requirements, the requirement that in any commercial or business service you must correspond in Catalan when someone speaks in the country’s language.

Will it be possible for anyone who wants to be served in Catalan in Andorra?

I have no doubt. The law leaves it open for any person who is not served in Catalan to report this situation to the Government and if no action is taken, the claimant can appeal this decision through the courts.

Are all the parties in Andorra aligned in the defense of the national language?

We are lucky that 25 out of 28 general councilors voted in favor of the text of the new law. There is a very high level of consensus in the country on this matter and a cultural awareness around Catalan.

Are Andorran businesses aware of the need to protect the language?

Most of the Andorran business community is aware of the importance of maintaining the language. The employers congratulated the General Council for its work on the law. When we talk about linguistic preservation it is important to talk about co-responsibility, there is a responsibility on the part of establishments and companies, there is also the responsibility we have as Catalan speakers to maintain our language. It is only by giving Catalan daily use that we root it and make it grow.

What future do you foresee for Catalan in the next decade in Andorra?

We have the feeling that there are big transformative solutions in politics, but big changes are the sum of many small steps. This happens with the defense of Catalan. First of all, have the conviction to keep our language. It defines what we can think and express. We must understand that despite the strong economic pressure on the use of other languages, if we lose Catalan, we ourselves would be diluted.

How do you see the situation in Catalonia?

In Andorra, Catalan is the state language. In Catalonia, Catalan is one of the languages ​​of the State with a complex institutional situation. I wouldn’t dare give recipes for a country that already has many people who are already fighting for Catalan and who know the scene much better than I do. I would like stronger ties between all Catalan-speaking territories.

How do you assess the attacks by the Spanish media in forcing residents to know Catalan and that people in front of the public can attend in this language?

We do not discriminate against any other language, we protect ours. Our responsibility when articulating proposals that decide where our country will be is to take into account the well-being of the people who live there. The main objective without letting occasional noises divert our attention.

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