Filling the Sink

At a time when immigration is a political flashpoint across much of Europe and beyond, Spain appears to be taking a different approach.

Around half a million undocumented migrants, including up to 150,000 in Catalonia, are set to benefit from the extraordinary regularisation announced by the Spanish government.

But why now? And how will it actually work?

Blanca Garcés, senior researcher at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), explains how the plan is expected to benefit domestic care and hospitality workers in Catalonia and enable irregular residents to obtain permits without a job offer.

Alicia Andersson reports on informal work in Catalonia, featuring insights from Oscar Riu (UGT), Fany Raquel Galesas Sánchez (CCOO), and Nuria Soto (Riders X Derechos) on the challenges faced by undocumented workers.

Cillian Shields joins Lorcan Doherty to give a breakdown of who is eligible for regularisation, how the process works, and what sets Spain apart on the European stage when it comes to migration policy.

On January 20, a fatal derailment in Catalonia, just two days after the high-speed rail disaster in Andalusia, led to unprecedented levels of disruption, with the entire Rodalies network suspended several times due to safety concerns. 

But the problems with Catalonia's rail network stretch much further back.

In this episode of Filling the Sink, Lorcan Doherty and Cillian Shields examine Catalonia's Rodalies commuter rail network: decades of underinvestment, the recent Gelida accident and subsequent strikes and shutdowns, and the planned transfer of management from Spanish to Catalan authorities.

Francisco Cárdenas, UGT union representative for Renfe workers in Catalonia, explains how years of neglect and insufficient maintenance have created a network that train drivers no longer feel safe operating.

Rail expert Joan Carles Salmerón, director of private research center Terminus, provides his diagnosis of the structural weaknesses in Catalonia's rail infrastructure, including a disproportionate focus on high-speed lines at the expense of local commuter services.

In this episode, we explore a problem that refuses to go away: the near-impossible task many immigrants in Spain face when trying to secure appointments for their NIE (foreign identity number) or TIE (foreign identity card).

Cybersecurity expert René Serral from UPC breaks down what is happening behind the scenes of the 'cita previa' appointment system – and what could be done to fix it.

Law professor Natalia Caicedo examines whether the Spanish government is meeting its legal obligations toward newcomers.

Honduran-born activist Carmen Juares describes how migrants are "treated as second-class citizens," calling the process of regularising legal status "a continuous obstacle course."

We also hear directly from Catalan News readers, many of whom got in touch to share their own experiences navigating the system.

With Lorcan Doherty and Oriol Escudé.

FC Barcelona are back home. After several false starts, Barça are once again playing their home fixtures at the iconic Spotify Camp Nou. After two and a half years away, fans are excited – and local businesses relieved – but the revamped stadium remains a work in progress.

The return to the Camp Nou marks the beginning of a new era for FC Barcelona. After a decade of financial woes, could it also prove to be the saving of the club? 

Oriol Escudé and Cillian Shields join Lorcan Doherty to discuss why the overhaul was needed, the controversies surrounding the construction, and the matchday atmosphere at the newly redeveloped stadium.

We’ll hear from culers on the thrill of being back, local business owners on the boost to their trade, and a residents' group on concerns about disruption in the neighbourhood.

Get in touch with the podcast team: [email protected]

Listen to more episodes of Filling the Sink or find out more here.

Cillian Shields joins Lorcan Doherty to look back at life in Catalonia under the Franco dictatorship, the transition to democracy that followed, and the challenges that remain today, including uncovering mass graves, ongoing legal battles, and a resurgent far right among young people.

Andrew Dowling, Reader in Contemporary Spanish History at Cardiff University, explains how repression was felt in Catalonia during the dictatorship, and how that evolved over the decades of the regime.

Catalan photographer Pilar Aymerich, who not only lived through the historic transition to democracy of the late 70s but actively documented it, reflects on that pivotal moment in history.

The episode concludes by looking at the challenges that remain today, including ongoing efforts to uncover mass graves, stalled legal cases seeking justice, and the resurgence of the far right among young people.