The Spanish socialists offer a constitutional reform to Mas but reject a referendum on independence

Barcelona (ACN).- The secretary general of the Spanish socialists (PSOE), Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, and the leader of the party in Catalonia, Pere Navarro, have offered the Catalan government support for constitutional reform, but have fallen short of accepting the need for a referendum on independence. After a meeting in Barcelona with Catalan President Artur Mas, Rubalcaba said that the socialists’ proposal is to “talk” and “agree” on a constitutional reform, and then “vote on it”. The proposal however, would mean abandoning the Catalan government plans for a referendum on independence.

Pérez Rubalcaba said he was “satisfied” after the meeting, which nonetheless finished with “no agreement”. The Spanish socialist explained that “some people say they want to vote” on independence and the PSOE argues that “before that people should sit and discuss a possible solution and, if found, vote on it”. He was referring to the socialists’ proposal for a new constitution to create a fully federal state in Spain, something that the Spanish President, Mariano Rajoy, rejected categorically just hours after the proposal was put forward. The support of Rajoy’s conservative party is essential if a constitutional reform is to go ahead, as an overall majority in the Spanish congress is needed.  

The Catalan President, Artur Mas, said that a “rigid legal framework cannot be a substitute for an open political framework”. The leader of CiU argued that countries should “adapt” their laws to the “evolution” of their societies, implying that a referendum on independence should be held in Catalonia, as it is demanded by a vast majority of its citizens. Mas added that the legal framework cannot be used to “abort” the plans for a referendum, as this would amount to an “enormous” mistake.