Puigdemont, reason for dispute between independence parties

The two main pro-independence parties are experiencing their first crisis since they formed the new Catalan government together in June.

However, the future of the executive is "not in danger," said the foreign affairs minister on Thursday, and both parties have already said that they are trying to recover the lost trust and once more strengthen their relationship.

The rift is the second major dispute in the pro-independence camp since the December 2017 election, and the point of contention is the same – Carles Puigdemont.  

On Thursday the parties disagreed on how to tackle the suspension of MPs, including Puigdemont, which was ordered by the Spanish Supreme Court.

JxCat: suspension of all MPs but Puigdemont

Esquerra (ERC) argued for a temporary suspension of all six lawmakers involved, which its partner in government, Junts per Catalunya (JxCat), accepted, as long as it did not include Puigdemont.

The Supreme Court ruled that all six officials must be suspended, because the Spanish Penal Code allows such a thing for individuals prosecuted for rebellion and who have a detention order hanging over them.

JxCat claims that this applies to the five MPs in pre-trial prison, but not to Puigdemont, as he is free in Germany after a German court rejected rebellion charges against him.

Ahead of the December 2017 election, Puigdemont founded JxCat candidacy with his closest allies and some members of the PDeCAT party.

Puigdemont's reinstatement

 

And one of JxCat’s main concerns is getting the former Catalan president back into power. They tried to do it by proxy on January 30, despite opposition from Spain's Constitutional Court, but the Parliament speaker (ERC) rejected it. That was the first major row between the parties.

If Puigdemont is now suspended as an MP, he cannot be reinstated as president, as the head of the Catalan government must also be a lawmaker.

JxCat believes that after Germany rejected the rebellion charges, and now that he is only facing extradition for misuse of public funds, he has a higher chance of recovering the post.

Esquerra: suspension of all six MPs

On the other side, Esquerra is taking a more moderate approach on whether to comply or not  with the Spanish Supreme Court judge.

Its party spokesman said the decision on the suspension of the MPs should be the same for all six.

Among those affected by the court’s ruling is ERC party president, Oriol Junqueras, who was Puigdemont's deputy in the last Catalan government.

Yet, Junqueras is in pre-trial jail, with no chance of making a claim on Catalonia's presidency unless he is released.

The Parliament speaker, Roger Torrent, has played a key role in these two crises. His predecessor, Carme Forcadell, is also in pre-trial jail for going against some judicial decisions by allowing debates and votes on independence issues.