The Spanish government has announced its decision to provide direct financial support for the first time to promote the teaching of Catalan in the northern region of Catalonia, specifically targeting a network of private schools operating in southern France.

This initiative comes as a result of an agreement with the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), a pro-independence political party in Catalonia.

The funding will originate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and aims to support the "cultural activities in Catalan" within France, rather than directly financing Catalan education.

This was clarified by José Manuel Albares, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, through representatives of the ministry, who stated that the initiative aligns with government policy to promote all languages spoken within Spain.

The government has indicated that it will extend similar support as provided by the Instituto Cervantes in conducting cultural activities abroad and aims to promote Catalan language positions at foreign universities where there is demand.

The network known as La Bressola, established in 1976, comprises several private schools that exclusively teach in Catalan and have historically relied on funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya and various Catalan municipalities.

This new financial contribution adds to previous funding increases achieved by ERC from Catalan institutions.

In statements to the media, ERC representatives, including Etna Estrems and Francesc Marc Álvaro, highlighted the Catalan language as a vital element of cultural and social identity within the Catalan-speaking territories.

They expressed the necessity of extraordinary measures to support the language both in France and Spain.

ERC described this agreement as a "historic movement" and a "vital step" for the continuity of the Catalan language.

Furthermore, they noted that Minister Albares committed during parliamentary sessions to explore the possibility of additional contributions from the Ministry of Education for sustaining these initiatives in the future.

This announcement coincides with the signing of the Pacte Nacional per la Llengua in Catalonia, which aims to bolster the use of Catalan in various spheres, and arises during a period of financial challenges faced by La Bressola.

The network is currently experiencing financial difficulties, prompting ERC to table a non-binding proposal in Congress calling for a "stable allocation of funds" and specific support measures for co-official languages abroad.

ERC has reiterated its commitment to continue advocating for the future of the Catalan language across all territories of the Catalan-speaking regions.