For and against the Catalan Republic

On Friday October 27 at 3.27pm the Parliament proclaimed the Catalan Republic, with 70 votes in favour, 10 against and two abstentions. Outside the Parliament building thousands of independence supporters welcomed the news with cheers and celebrations. Yet the debate in the Parliament that led to the lifting of the suspension on declaring independence was not welcomed by everyone.

Cs member Carlos Carrizosa, for example, began the debate by telling the Parliament: "Today is a sad, dramatic day in Catalonia. It's the day when a coup against our democracy will be perpetrated.” Carrizosa went on to pledge that "C's won't allow Spain to be broken up, to be divided and financially ruined," before he accused the pro-independence government of behaving in a "totalitarian way".

“You are destroying everything”

Catalan socialist Eva Granados also expressed her opposition to the intention of proclaiming the Republic, telling the pro-independence parties that "today you are destroying everything." "We don't want to decide,” said Granados, adding: "We won't participate in the vote. We'll leave the plenary session so as not be part of this huge mistake you are about to commit."

Meanwhile, the CSQP party through Marta Ribas added their disapproval, saying: "You don't have the democratic legitimacy to declare independence." Ribas did say, however, that her party rejected Article 155 as an attempt to "liquidate" Catalan autonomy. Yet, PP’s Alejandro Fernández suggested it was the pro-independence parties that were causing the most harm: "The damage you have caused to Catalan and Spanish society is terrible," he told President Puigdemont.