Politics

The Spanish Council of Ministers approved this Friday to submit a complaint against the bill proposing a Catalan referendum on independence in 2017 to the Constitutional Court (TC). The Spanish executive requests the TC to declare null the proposal passed by the Catalan Parliament on the 6^th of October last during the General Policy Debate and to temporarily suspend it. Furthermore, in its report the executive also urges the magistrates to transfer the case to the Prosecution Office so that criminal proceedings against the President of the Catalan Parliament, Carme Forcadell, can be opened. The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, reacted to the measure and stated that the Spanish reaction was “predictable” and did not come as a surprise. In a press conference held in Madrid on Monday, the politician asked once again for dialogue. Puigdemont also said this Friday with regret that the Spanish Government response is always “a string of contestations".

Neither former Catalan President Artur Mas, former Vice President Joana Ortega nor former Catalan Minister for Education Irene Rigau will go to prison for organising the 9-N symbolic vote on independence. The judge investigating the case opened on Thursday an oral hearing against the three politicians for the crimes of disobedience and administrative corruption, but dismissed the charge for embezzlement of public funds, the only one that could result in imprisonment. In doing so, the magistrate is in accordance with the resolution of Catalonia’s Public Prosecutor, which last week requested a 10-year ban from public office for Mas and a 9-year ban for the other two public figures summonsed over the same case, but did not accuse them of misappropriation of public money. 

European Free Alliance (EFA) director, Günther Dauwen, would approve if the Catalan Democratic Party (PDC), the new name for former liberal ‘Convergència’, were to leave the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and join the EFA in the European Parliament instead. “The family of regionalist nationalists would be more homogeneous and consistent and that could help to reinforce our message”, Dauwen told the CNA. Although he admitted that there hasn’t yet been any official request, if joining the EFA “could help to promote and make progress” for the Catalan cause “a positive decision could be expected”. Dauwen also noted that left wing pro-independence ERC, which together with other 44 groups belongs to the EFA, wouldn’t oppose welcoming the PDC to the family. PDC MEP, Ramon Tremosa has repeatedly said he was “not comfortable” within the ALDE because they voted “following instructions from Spanish Unionist ‘Ciutadans’, a private brand of the Conservative People’s Party”.

Administrative Court Number 14 of Barcelona has prohibited Badalona City Hall from opening any municipal offices on Spain’s National Day, this Wednesday the 12^th of October. The municipal government of Badalona announced earlier this week that it would offer their workers the possibility of working during the festivity in exchange for another free day, the 9^th of December, coinciding with the Immaculada long weekend. This measure would have allowed the opening of offices providing services to citizens, with a skeleton staff of at least 50%, but the judge believes there are political intentions behind the municipal government decision to turn the 12-O into a voluntarily holiday and that these would harm "the general, social and collective interest" of the celebration, as well as the "ideological freedom" of workers. Parallel to the rise of Catalan national sentiment, the 12^th of October is regarded in Catalonia as a day used by extreme-right forces to claim the union of the country and fight independence. 

The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont and the Parliament’s, Carme Forcadell, received this Tuesday the notice issued by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) which suspends the conclusions of the Committee to Study the Constitutive Process. Four deputy clerks delivered the documents which warn that if the Parliament and the members of the Parliament’s Bureau ignore the resolution they “will be liable for responsibility, including criminal charges”. The TC also urges the Public Prosecutor to proceed with the corresponding actions against Forcadell. Last August, the TC suspended Catalonia’s pro-independence roadmap, ratified by the majority of the Parliament, claiming that the conclusions of the Committee to Study the Constitutive Process, the group responsible for designing Catalonia’s strategy towards independence, violated the Spanish Constitution. 

Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, insisted this Monday on the need “to find a political solution for Catalonia”and urged Spain’s government to “have political courage”and “negotiate”a referendum. He made this statement at a press conference held in Madrid which was attended by more than 9 ambassadors, 8 of them from EU countries, but without any representatives from the Spanish Government nor from the governing Conservative People’s Party (PP). “Let’s listen to each other and let’s decide the best solution, without restrictions”said Puigdemont and insisted that “a negotiated proposal is a priority”for the Catalan Government. In this vein, Puigdemont called for the Spanish Government to discuss key aspects of the referendum such as “the date and the question”and invited Spain’s executive to “present an alternative proposal which can compete with Catalonia’s”. “Once Spain breaks the deadlock, our proposal will still be there”, he stated.

The ruling by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) to possibly reverse the bullfighting ban in Catalonia has surprised many of the representatives in the European Parliament. Interviewed by the CNA, MEPs from the main political parties in the EuroChamber expressed their views on bullfighting and commented on Catalonia’s wish to keep the prohibition. Bullfighting is “unnecessary cruelty” rather than “culture”, stated European People’s Party (EPP) MEP, Sirpa Pietikainen and expressed his strong opposition to it being supported by EU funds. In a similar sense, Iva Vajgl, from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe considered it “anachronist” for Spain to promote bullfighting and described it as “a very cheap and populist art of entertainment”. European United Left MEP, Stefan Eck, noted that “there is a political interest behind” the TC’s intention to reverse the ban in Catalonia and encouraged Catalans to “stand up and demonstrate for their rights”.

The National Council for Human Rights, the Moroccan agency responsible for accrediting international observers, has invited the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat) to join the almost one hundred observers monitoring the elections taking place in Morocco this Friday 9^th of October. Diplocat has send a mission of 12 people that have received training in the field of international observation ad have followed the election campaign and the preparation for this day. The general secretary of Diplocat, Albert Royo, believes that this mission Catalonia has sent is relevant because it "makes Catalonia visible as an international committed, serious and responsible actor, in a natural space of action as is the Mediterranean area". The election observation mission will present an assessment report publicly after the election.

The Catalan Chamber passed on Thursday the pro-independence forces’ agreed proposal to call a vote on independence in Catalonia by September 2017. Governing cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’, radical left CUP and alternative left alliance ‘Catalunya Sí que es Pot’ allowed the bill to go through. According to the bill, the referendum has to be “binding” and based on a “clear” question and a “binary” answer. In the event that ‘yes’ to independence wins, the bill foresees calling constitutive elections in March 2018. The document also establishes that “lack of agreement with the Spanish State” is not a reason for the referendum to be rejected. The Parliament also passed the ‘Catalunya Sí que es Pot proposal to hold a referendum “with real political and legal effects” and launch the necessary initiatives “before the Spanish State”. Spanish Unionist ‘Ciutadans’, the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) and the Conservative People’s Party (PP), refused to vote, considering the proposals to have emerged from resolutions which have been suspended by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC).

The Catalan Parliament’s President, Carme Forcadell, may face criminal proceedings. The Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) has this Thursday upheld the complaint issued by the Spanish Government and has urged the Public Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether Forcadell committed a penal crime when disobeying the TC’s rulings and allowing the pro-independence roadmap vote last July. The resolution of the TC, approved by unanimity, asks to open criminal proceedings but does not contemplate the dismissal of Forcadell, a measure the TC could apply after a People’s Party (PP) reform in 2015 gave it the power to do so.  

Governing cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’ and their main partner in the Parliament, radical left CUP are putting the final touches to a referendum proposal. Both pro-independence forces have agreed to hold a vote by September 2017 “at the latest” and base it on a “clear question” which could be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (to independence). Although earlier this week CUP suggested holding the referendum next July, the radical left party admitted that it is not “for them alone to decide”, CUP MP Anna Gabriel said this Wednesday in an interview with Catalan television TV3. Gabriel also insisted that the referendum will be held “regardless of the Spanish State’s refusal”. In this vein, Gabriel considered that calling a referendum agreed with the Spanish State has to be regarded as “a technique” for the international audience.  

Catalonia’s Public Prosecutor requested this Monday 10 years of ineligibility for public office for the former Catalan President, Artur Mas, for organising the 9-N symbolic vote on independence in 2014. Judges Francisco Bañeres and Emilio Sánchez Ulled also demanded a 9-year ban for the two other public figures summonsed over the same case, former Vice President Joana Ortega and former Catalan Minister for Education Irene Rigau. According to the judges, the three summonsed were “fully aware” that by preparing the non-binding consultation “they were breaking the mandatory rulings of the Spanish Constitutional Court” which urged the Catalan executive to stop the process four days before the 9-N took place. Mas considered the whole case “a chain of nonsense” and assured that “it is an honour to be sentenced by a Spanish State which doesn’t respect the separation of powers”.

The Catalan Minister for Public Administrations Meritxell Borràs, stated that “in a matter of weeks” the Catalan Parliament will have a bill to “discuss and pass” electronic voting for Catalans abroad. “We just need the political will in order to make electronic voting become a reality for the next Catalan elections”, she stated during the 8^th European Meeting of Catalan Communities, held between the 30^th of September and the 2^nd of October in London. During the last elections, only 7.5% of the nearly 200,000 Catalans living abroad and registered to vote were able to do so and 7,000 ballots that were sent on time weren’t able to reach their destination. “The vote abroad is an authentic odyssey”, said Borràs.  

The PSC, the Catalan branch of the Spanish Socialist Party have insisted on their ‘no’ to reinstating current Spanish President, Mariano Rajoy. “We can’t betray our principles”, stated this Monday one of the candidates to lead PSC in the upcoming primary elections, Núria Parlon. In a clear move to differentiate themselves from the overall Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) position, which is to abstain in the upcoming investiture debate and allow the formation of a government in Spain, the PSC emphasised their “commitment to the citizens’ mandate” and their predisposition to offer “an alternative government to that of the Conservative People’s Party (PP)”. The Catalan Socialists expressed their position after the resignation of PSOE’s leader, Pedro Sánchez, who stepped down on Saturday after a week of turmoil within the Spanish Socialist Party.

Current Spanish Vice President, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, responded this Friday to Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont’s request to hold a binding referendum on independence in Catalonia. “National sovereignty doesn’t accept neither comas nor conditions”, she stated. “What Mr Puigdemont is asking for can’t be negotiated, neither by us, the Spanish Congress nor the Senate, because it is not ours but belongs to the 47 million Spaniard”she added, referring to Spain’s sovereignty. Sáenz de Santamaría warned Puigdemont that “he is subject to the law”and that going “further”from his functions “disrespects the national sovereignty”. Thus, Spain’s Vice President closed to the door on the possibility of agreeing a referendum in order to overcome the deadlock in Catalonia, as Puigdemont suggested during his vote of confidence speech.