Free and Equal (Spain)
Libres e Iguales | |
 | |
| Formation | July 15, 2014 |
|---|---|
| Type | Civic platform |
| Legal status | Voluntary association |
Key people | Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo |
| Website | www |
Free and Equal (Spanish: Libres e Iguales) is a Spanish civic organisation formed as a reaction against Catalan nationalism. It is opposed to Catalan independence, viewing it as an attack on Spanish institutions and Spanish democracy.
History
[edit]The organisation's name alludes to article 1 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen ("Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions can be founded only on the common good."), as well as the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ("All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.").
It was launched on 15 July 2014 outside the Congress of Deputies, with headline manifesto promises of "reclaiming the 1978 Spanish constitution", rejecting the "breakup" of the national sovereignty of Spanish people, and a search for a pact of major Spanish political parties against secessionism.[1][2][3]
Following the 2015 local and regional elections, the group called for the People's Party, the Socialist Workers' Party, Union, Progress and Democracy and Citizens to create a pact against populism, with the objective of "preventing populist contamination from lethally eroding the institutions and fundamental bases of Spanish democracy".[4][5]
On 8 January 2025, the movement published a manifesto titled Against Franco, calling for a boycott of events commemorating the 50th anniversary of dictator Francisco Franco's death.[6]
Objectives
[edit]According to the movement, its aims are "defending democratic principles, mobilising Spanish society against Catalan independence, and delegitimising nationalism".[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Nace 'Libres e iguales', plataforma para movilizar a la opinión pública española ante el proyecto soberanista" ['Free and equal' is born, a platform to mobilise public opinion against the sovereignist project]. Europa Press (in Spanish). Madrid. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ Cué, Carlos E. (15 July 2014). "Un manifiesto con Vargas Llosa y Suárez Illana pide a Rajoy que actúe contra Mas" [A manifesto with Vargas Llosa and Suárez Illana asks Rajoy to act against Mas]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ Ríos, Pere; Cué, Carlos E. (14 July 2014). "Un manifiesto antinacionalista se opone a que Rajoy negocie con la Generalitat" [An anti-nationalist manifesto opposes Rajoy negotiating with the Generalitat]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "Libres e Iguales pide pactos entre PP, PSOE, UPyD y Ciudadanos" [Free and Equal asks for pacts between PP, PSOE, UPyD and Ciudadanos]. ABC Spain (in Spanish). 18 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ González, Santiago (18 March 2015). "Libres e Iguales contra el populismo" [Free and Equal against populism]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "Libres e Iguales llama a boicotear los actos que conmemoran la muerte de Franco" [Free and Equal calls for a boycott of events commemorating Franco's death]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 8 January 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ "Quiénes somos" [Who we are] (in Spanish). Libres e Iguales. Retrieved 24 April 2020.