Torra’s future government to ‘file lawsuit’ against Rajoy

The Catalan president Quim Torra is committed to taking further action against Spain’s latest measures in Catalonia. But he will likely do it from a stronger position: with a government formed. His Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy, confirmed on Tuesday that he would not accept the nomination of the elected ministers who are in jail or abroad. Torra, who had been insisting that they be authorized despite Madrid’s block, reacted soon afterwards by substituting these officials for others  not embroiled in the Spanish judiciary case against pro-independence leaders. But he will not retract his objections against Spain, as will be made clear in his first cabinet meeting once the ministers have taken office.

When they sit at the round table, his government will agree on filing a lawsuit against Rajoy for breaching his official duty. The reason behind this first proposed motion as an acting executive is the Spanish leader’s blocking of the nomination of ministers in jail or abroad. In a statement, Torra’s office also announced that the new cabinet will challenge in court the direct rule which has been imposed on Catalonia since October 2017, after the former government was sacked by Rajoy following a declaration of independence.

Torra’s new cabinet will also file legal complaints regarding Madrid’s efforts to stop “eleven Catalan laws with high social content” during the period of direct rule. In his swearing-in speech in Parliament, the newly-elected president also announced that his future executive will launch a commission to investigate the impact that the suspension of self-government in Catalonia has had over the last seven months. Once his new ministers take office, direct rule will be automatically lifted.