Cs leader says she could turn down Catalan presidency

The leader of Ciutadans (Cs) and the party’s main candidate in the Catalan election on December 21, Inés Arrimadas, says she would refuse the presidency if her party does not get the most unionist votes. Arrimadas also says she would help whatever constitutionalist party wins the most seats to form a government opposed to independence.

Talking at a public event in Barcelona on Tuesday, the Cs leader told an audience of around 300 people that she believes her party will come out on top in the election as the most-voted constitutionalist party. Arrimadas also said that she would “work tirelessly” to reach agreements with other parties in favor of Spanish unity.

“In the hypothetical case that we are not the winning party, clearly we would be prepared to ally with others, even if it were so that they could lead,” she said.

Meanwhile, referring to the allegations that Spanish courts have been used by the state authorities for political purposes, Arrimadas claimed that calling for the release of dismissed Catalan officials from prisons in Madrid would be a real example of the politicization of the justice system.

The Cs leader was also critical that the imprisoned officials should be allowed to stand in the election: “Legal decisions must be respected, and when you stand as a candidate you should not feel as if you are wearing a Superman cape,” she said.

Finally, Arrimadas said that she would be in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday to meet representatives of different European institutions and the liberal-centrist ALDE group to explain how her party intends to stay within the law and fight to keep Catalonia in the EU.