Andorra's General Syndic Urges Prudent Co-Principality Management Amid Abortion Debate

Carles Ensenyat, Andorra's General Syndic, called for prudent management of the co-principality system during his closing address at the Sant Tomàs session in Casa de la Vall, stressing the need to balance institutional stability with responsiveness to public demands amid ongoing debates over abortion decriminalisation.

Addressing leaders from the Consell General, government, communes, the Superior Council of Justice and other bodies, Ensenyat described the system as imperfect yet shaped by "collective long experience." He advocated using available tools to address contemporary issues, stating that institutions should act as "connecting words" in Andorra's narrative—ensuring continuity rather than rupture. Political and institutional stability, he said, remains a core national value, essential for bodies to stay useful, predictable and citizen-focused.

Ensenyat drew on history to underline this point, recalling how the French Revolution's abolition of feudal rights left Andorra without a French co-prince for 14 years. In 1806, Andorrans travelled to Paris to urge Napoleon Bonaparte to restore the role. "In a world pushing towards freedom and republicanism, Andorra wanted to keep its co-princes," he said, viewing it as proof of the country's "secular wisdom" and ability to avoid "superficial, short-term readings of events."

He reminded the co-princes that recent parliamentary agendas—covering abortion decriminalisation, language and identity preservation, growth management, social justice, pensions reform and more—reflect widespread societal concerns. Institutions must remain useful by linking to citizens' realities, allowing them to build personal, family and professional lives in Andorra, he added. Debate is essential, but must respect the broader framework.

Parliamentary leaders offered varied interpretations. Concòrdia head Cerni Escalé welcomed the emphasis on tradition alongside utility, calling for swift decriminalisation through consensus with the co-principality and urging institutions to align with social modernisation. Partit Socialdemòcrata leader Susanna Vela described it as a "clear opening" for balance, prioritising women's rights and citing prior constitutional findings, with the issue now resting with the episcopal co-prince. Andorra Endavant's Carine Montaner reaffirmed commitment to institutions without linking directly to abortion.

Majority parties Demòcrates and Ciutadans Compromesos emphasised caution. Demòcrates' Jordi Jordana (also reported as Ornada) stressed gradual steps to maintain structural equilibrium, expressing confidence in consensus after months of work amid national evolution. Ciutadans Compromesos' Carles Naudi warned that mishandled legislation could challenge the episcopal co-prince, advocating discreet negotiations for an outcome advancing women's rights without risking the system.