Support for tighter border controls has risen sharply in Catalonia. According to the latest data from the Institute of Political and Social Sciences (ICPS) 2025 survey, nearly two-thirds of the population now favours immigration restrictions. This represents a significant shift in public sentiment over the past two years.
The survey indicates that 64% of respondents now support limiting the entry of foreign nationals. This is a marked increase from 44% recorded in 2023. However, general sentiment towards immigration remains largely positive. In fact, 52.4% of those surveyed continue to view it favourably.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home » Immigration restrictions Catalonia: Support soars in new ICPS survey
Immigration restrictions Catalonia: Contextualising the surge
Oriol Bertomeus, director of the ICPS, sought to contextualise the sharp twenty-point rise. He noted that while the current figures represent a significant rebound, they are not historically unprecedented. “If we look at the data over the long term, we are almost at the same percentages we had in 1993,” Bertomeus explained. However, he added the crucial caveat that the foreign population in Catalonia has increased tenfold since then.
The desire for restrictions crosses party lines but is most intense on the right. The survey found that 100% of Aliança Catalana voters and 90% of Vox voters support limiting entry. Notably, this sentiment is also shared by approximately 80% of Junts and People’s Party (PP) voters. Furthermore, it reaches between 50% and 60% among voters of the Socialists (PSC) and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC).
Young men shifting to the right
The ICPS data reveals a widening ideological gender gap among the youth. While young women remain the demographic most favourable towards immigration (60% positive), young men are moving in the opposite direction.
More than 30% of men under the age of 35 now identify with the political right. This figure has jumped by twenty points since 2020. In contrast, men in this age bracket, alongside women over 65, hold the most negative views on immigration.
Waning support for feminism and democracy
Broader social attitudes appear to be shifting as well. Support for feminism has declined generally, dropping from 67% in 2023 to 59% in 2025. This trend is particularly pronounced among young men aged 18 to 24. Here, agreement with feminist concepts has fallen to just 50%.
Furthermore, the survey highlights a “certain erosion” in confidence regarding democracy. This is specifically among the youngest voters. Among those born after 2006, only 63.6% agree that democracy is preferable to any other form of government. The study suggests this skepticism is partly generational. It is also partly a lingering effect of the 2008 economic crisis.
Stability in the independence debate
Regarding Catalonia’s constitutional status, the landscape resembles the period prior to the height of the independence process. A majority of 55.6% wish for Catalonia to remain part of Spain. Meanwhile, 38.1% favour an independent state.
In terms of political leadership, current President Salvador Illa (PSC) remains the preferred choice for 20.9% of respondents. Former president Carles Puigdemont (Junts) has seen his support dip to 10.2%. Conversely, Sílvia Orriols of the far-right Aliança Catalana has seen a surge in popularity. Her support has risen from 2.6% in 2024 to 8.8% in 2025.
Get all of the news delivered to your phone via our WhatsApp Broadcast Channel .
