Pro-independence forces reject Spanish president's ‘threats’

Pro-independence forces in the Spanish Congress have rejected president Pedro Sánchez's "threats" against Catalonia's self-government.

During a debate in Spain’s lower chamber about Catalonia, the Spanish leader vowed a "forceful" response if Quim Torra's government breaks the law, and the right-wing parties urged Sánchez to impose direct rule in Catalonia once more.

Esquerra: Spain dragging along Francoism

"You have to choose between being a statesman, or being dragged along by the right wingers. That is, being a protagonist of history or being a walk-on actor," said Esquerra's party spokesman in Madrid, Joan Tardà, in the same plenary session.

He urged Sánchez to engage in "dialogue" instead of making calls of suspending self-rule or sending the Spanish police in the country, if the Catalan one "fails to perform its functions."

He also criticized that the prosecution has not dropped its charges against the jailed leaders.

"If Spain had broken with Francoism, there would be an authentic separation of powers," he said.

PDeCAT: "What a big mistake, you'll pay it dearly"

Pro-independence PDeCAT party also slammed Sánchez for having said, in the same debate, that the movement for a Catalan state is based on "lies."

"With your speech, you have made [far right anti-independence] Vox succeed, you are changing your political orientation on Catalonia; this is a big mistake, you'll pay it dearly," said MP Carles Campuzano.

He called on Sánchez not to "compete with the authoritarian right wingers marked by Francoism," referring to the People's Party, Ciutadans and Vox.

En Comú Podem: "Questioning self-rule would be mistake"

Meanwhile En Comú Podem, non-aligned on the national issue, also urged Sánchez to avoid repeating "the failed recipes of the right" – alluding to when the People's Party imposed direct rule for seven months from October 2017 to June 2018.

MP Lucía Martín called both governments to use "another tone and policies" and urged them not to return to "confrontation and judicialization."

"Any act questioning self-government would be a mistake," she said during the debate.