The election of a new Catalan President will have to wait

Barcelona (CNA).- "We can't be satisfied, we can't be happy with this 'no'" stated the current President and the MP who is so far the only candidate for the presidency, Artur Mas, "I'll be back on Thursday, for the second phase of the vote". Mas made these statements after all the parliamentary groups in the chamber, except from cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sí', expressed this Tuesday their opposition to his candidacy. The current President was number four in 'Junts Pel Sí' and the winning cross-party list’s only candidate for the Presidency. However, the coalition needed the support of pro-independence radical left CUP's 10 MPs to make him President. Although Mas highlighted the need to reach an agreement and elect a new government in order to "start the journey" and guarantee that "the process won't be stuck", his speech didn't convince CUP nor the other groups in the parliament. All the Catalan MPs who voted against Mas' candidacy lamented his "lack of self-criticism" and pointed to the corruption scandals affecting his party, liberal CDC, as a reason to pass him out over for the presidency.

"If we are 72 MPs, why don't we meet, the 72 of us?" asked Mas rhetorically, addressing CUP's leader Antonio Baños and referring to the 62 'Junts Pel Sí' MPs and CUP's 10 representatives in the chamber. Baños, visibly surprised, seemed to accept the proposal, and the two parties could probably meet soon to discuss who should be president. Baños suggested, however, that MPs should vote “in secret” who they support.  

In fact, in his speech, Baños said to Mas that “no one is indispensable” in the Catalan process, although he added that no one is “unnecessary” either. “Leave, and come back on Thursday”, he said.

Pro-independence radical left CUP, co-authors of the pro-independence declaration together with cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sí', repeatedly insisted that they won't instate Mas as President and have remained true to their word. CUP's members are calling for other possible candidates "whom can't be identified with corruption nor cuts" even though they come from winning cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sí'. They have recently named current vice-president, Neus Munté, and 'Junts Pel Sí' top member, Raül Romeva.

CUP admitted to finding positive points in Mas' roadmap to independence proposal, which included numerous social measures. However, they considered his commitment to beating corruption "insufficient".

Ciutadans: Mas is using the independence process in his favour

"You divided the Catalans rather than solving the problems which affect them all", stated anti-Catalan nationalist Ciutadans' leader in the Parliament and head of the opposition, Inés Arrimadas. She accused Mas of using the independence process as "a strategy to wipe" the accusations of corruption that affect the President's party, liberal CDC. Arrimadas also urged Mas "to make way for a new political alternative" as he has proved to be "incapable of ruling Catalonia".

PSC: "Mas' political moment is over"

"We say no to independence, no to breaking the rules and no to your candidacy" stated the leader of the Catalan Socialist Party, PSC, Miquel Iceta, addressing the current President Artur Mas. He stated that "Mas' political moment is over" and that "it is time" for him to leave. "You are willing to do whatever it takes to be President" he said referring to Mas and added that the roadmap towards "wherever" and "the nonsense" of the declaration approved on Monday are his responsibility.

PPC: The new government should not depend on radical CUP

The leader of the Catalan People's Party, PPC, Xavier García Albiol, accused Mas of "promoting the hate against Spain". Albiol also used the words "weakness, submission and lies" to describe Mas' interventions during the debate before the Parliament and recommended him to find other partners "further from radical CUP". Albiol warned that the independence declaration has already been taken before the court and emphasised that there are referendums which have been held under dictatorial regimes and described Mas' strategy as "cynical".

'Catalunya Sí que es Pot': Corruption scandals invalidate Mas to rule

The alternative-left coalition 'Catalunya Sí que es Pot' leader, Lluís Rabell, also felt that Mas' shouldn't be in charge of the "democratic transition" and highlighted the "corruption scandals" which "invalidate Mas to rule". He considered there to be an eternal "draw" between those who support Catalonia's independence and those who are for the status quo.Rabell named the 'Catalunya Sí que es Pot' project as the only one able to "unblock" the situation.