Pressure mounting on Catalan government to lift independence suspension

The Catalan government is under pressure. Not only from Spain, which is warning that it could suspend Catalonia’s self-government if independence is enforced. But also from some pro-independence movements, which are pushing for just the opposite. They are eager to see the suspension to the independence declaration lifted. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, is between a rock and a hard place.

Puigdemont announced on Tuesday that his intention is to declare independence and enforce it because for him, the October 1 referendum results are valid and binding. However, in his speech in Parliament, he suspended temporarily independence in favor of opening a period for dialogue with Spain. The day after the speech, the Spanish government responded to the calls for dialogue by saying that they will not accept being involved in any mediation. Besides, the Spanish president, Mariano Rajoy, opened the door to applying article 155 of the Spanish Constitution to Catalonia. This would effectively suspend its self-rule.