Feijóo proposes 48-hour squatter evictions and nationality rules at Badalona rally

Nationality and border proposals

Speaking in Badalona at the start of the political term on 20 September 2026, Partido Popular leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo announced plans to revise the legal framework governing Spanish nationality. Feijóo stated that if he leads the next government, he will reform how citizenship is granted, maintained, and revoked. Under the proposal, foreign-born individuals who commit serious offences, including murder or participation in armed organizations, would face the loss of their acquired Spanish nationality. Feijóo defended the measure as fair and reasonable on the grounds of equality before the law, arguing that the state must maintain strict standards for both native and foreign-born residents.

If it bothers anyone that we revoke the nationality of someone convicted of belonging to a criminal gang or an armed group, let them explain it to me. If it bothers anyone that we revoke the nationality of a murderer, let them explain it to us.

Security demands and squatter evictions

Badalona Mayor Xavier García Albiol presented two specific legislative petitions during the rally. Albiol called for a statutory framework enabling authorities to resolve illegal home occupations within 48 hours to protect property owners. He also demanded stricter prison sentences for repeat offenders, along with immediate deportations for foreign nationals convicted of repeated crimes. Feijóo accepted both proposals, pledging that his administration would enact 48-hour eviction rules to make Spain the safest country in the European Union. Feijóo pointed to regional figures, stating that Catalonia accounts for 40% of all illegal home occupations in Spain.

Spain needs to recover the protection of its borders and the prestige of its passport.

Economic critique and political rivalry

The Badalona event took place roughly 30 kilometres from Gavà, where Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Catalan President Salvador Illa addressed the annual Festa de la Rosa organised by the Socialists' Party of Catalonia. Feijóo used the split-screen dynamic to contrast his platform with the governing coalition, calling for early general elections and criticising central government tax policies. Feijóo stated that revenue from personal income tax (IRPF) has grown at twice the rate of Spanish national income. He challenged Sánchez to appear in public without staged crowds to hear the financial concerns of working families facing elevated living costs, while also noting the absence of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero from both political gatherings.

Party mobilization in Badalona

The gathering at Parc del Turó d'en Caritg marked Feijóo's first visit to Badalona since the Catalan regional election campaign in 2024. Badalona serves as the primary municipal base for the party in Catalonia, where Albiol governs with an absolute majority. Crowd estimates ranged from 1,000 according to El Periódico to more than 6,000 according to El Mundo. Feijóo was accompanied by Catalan PP president Alejandro Fernández, European People's Party secretary general Dolors Montserrat, regional secretary general Juan Fernández, Barcelona council leader Daniel Sirera, and parliamentary spokesperson Lorena Roldán. Feijóo tied his national electoral prospects to gaining ground in Catalonia, urging voters to replicate Albiol's local majority on a national scale.