Catalan and Spanish governments take opposing conclusions from National Day rallies

The Catalan government celebrated the "strong image" of the pro-independence movement seen during the National Day rally organized by civic group Catalan National Assembly (ANC). 

"Yesterday was a festive day with culture and assertion," Catalan government spokesperson Patrícia Plaja said on Tuesday after the weekly cabinet meeting.

"September 11 was a day to show the strength and unity of the pro-independence movement, as well as the cohesion and need to claim together the aim of full sovereignty," she added.

Sources close to the Spanish government, however, say that the September 11 demonstration, with 115,000 protestors according to Guàrdia Urbana police, shows that the pro-independence movement is "in decline." 

"Pro-independence parties are losing support election after election since the Spanish government has been doing politics and backing dialogue," sources added.

The Spanish executive maintains that the National Day rally and speeches "change nothing" in the negotiation strategy of the Socialists when engaging in talks with pro-independence parties ERC and Junts for their support to name Pedro Sánchez Prime Minister. Those  talks will not be formally finalized until after the investiture attempt of the People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo. 

Unilateral declaration

Yet, some among the pro-independence camp have also been at odds with each other in the wake of the National Day celebrations. 

The leader of Catalan National Assembly, Dolors Feliu has demanded that the government declare independence, but Catalan president Pere Aragonès responded that a unilateral approach would be useless without international recognition.

During Monday's demonstration, Feliu also warned that her group may present a civic list in elections if the Catalan parties don't achieve independence and demanded that Catalan elections be called if the 2017 referendum is not recognized by Madrid. 

Aragonès replied to Feliu by saying that increasing the number of pro-independence candidates "is not what is best for the movement." 

Speaking on radio station RAC1, the president also said that independence "is not achieved by wishing for it very much" and committed himself to "fixing a mechanism" to allow the result to be recognized internationally the next time Catalonia votes on its future. "If not, it will be very difficult," he added.

"It's not a matter of proclaiming [independence] and that's enough. We can go out on the balcony 15 times. The question is how to make it effective, and for that we need international recognition," he said.

Feliu, meanwhile, swiped back at Aragonès, saying that the international community would recognize Catalonia's independence when Catalonia "recognizes itself as independent." 

The Catalan National Assembly head also reiterated the "necessity" of the civic list in the next Catalan elections, and said that they do not need the permission to launch the candidacy.