catalan

Parties supporting self-determination have won the European Parliament elections in Catalonia by a clear margin; elections which have seen turnout increase from 36.9% in 2009 to 47.4% this time around, spurred by the independence debate. The Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC) obtained 23.7% of the votes, whereas in 2009 it secured only 9.2%. The Centre-Right pro-Catalan State Coalition (CiU), which has been in government in Catalonia since 2010, has more or less kept the same percentage of the vote, going from 22.4% to 21.9%, despite austerity measures adopted in the past few years. Support for Spain's two main parties, the People's Party (PP) – currently in government – and the Socialists (PSOE), has plummeted in Catalonia.  The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), part of the PSOE, retained only a third of its 2009 share of the vote, going from 36% to 14.3%. The PP now becomes the 5^th most popular party, decreasing from 18% of the vote to 9.8%. Meanwhile, the Catalan Green Socialist and post-Communist Coalition (ICV-EUiA), which also supports self-determination, increased its percentage of the vote from 6% to 10.3%. The anti-Catalan nationalism and populist party Ciutadans (C's) also polled well, increasing its share of the vote from 0.3% to 6.3%.

In Spain as a whole, turnout for the European parliamentary elections increased slightly, while it increased considerably in a Catalonia in the midst of the independence debate. In 2009 only 36.94% of those Catalans on the voting register voted in the European elections, the lowest turnout ever recorded in any election during the 37 years of democracy. Now, some 47.4% of Catalans have cast their vote, an increase of more than 10 percentage points. In the whole of Spain, turnout increased by only one percentage point when compared to the 44.5% turnout from 2009, reaching 45.6%, sustained by the high increase in Catalonia. In fact, in the rest of Spain, turnout decreased in almost all regions, with only a few exceptions. Turnout also stagnated at EU level, going from 43% in 2009 to 43.1% in the newest elections. Parties and civil society organisations supporting self-determination asked Catalan citizens to vote in these elections in order to send a message to the world: Catalans want to hold an independence vote and to remain within the EU.

The 2014 European parliamentary elections are likely to become a milestone for Catalan people for three main reasons, which taken together send a strong message to the international community, the EU institutions and Member State governments, including that of Spain. Firstly, political parties and civil society organisations supporting self-determination have called citizens to vote in these elections as a way to push for a referendum on independence to take place on the 9^th of November of this year. This may significantly increase turnout from the low 36.94% registered in 2009. Secondly, the two main self-determination parties are likely to be the most voted parties in Catalonia. In addition, the Left-Wing Independence Party (ERC) may go from 4^th place in the 2009 poll to 1^st place this time around. Thirdly, support for the two main parties behind the EU austerity measures that turned into drastic budget cuts in southern Europe – the People’s Party and the Socialist Party – is likely to plummet in Catalonia.

The Catalan industrial sector received €1.365 billion of direct foreign investment in 2013, the highest amount since 2005, according to Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce. This represents 52% of the total foreign investment in Spain’s industrial sector in 2013, while Catalonia represents around 19% of Spanish GDP. Across all sectors Catalonia received a total of €3.51 billion of foreign investment last year, 31% more than in 2012. In addition, the President of the Chamber, Miquel Valls, emphasized that foreign investment in Catalonia went mostly to the industrial sector and advanced services, while in the rest of Spain it mostly went to the recreational and real estate sectors. According to Valls, this indicates that international investors have identified Catalonia with “a new production model”, while this has not happened in the rest of Spain.

3.93 million international tourists visited Catalonia in the first quarter of 2014, which represents a 10.4% increase compared to the same period of 2013. On top of this, 2012 and 2013 were already excellent years for international tourism in Catalonia, posting significant annual increases. In the first quarter of 2014, the growing trend seems to be continuing and 10% more foreigners visiting Spain traveled to the land that has Barcelona as its capital. With 3,929,163 foreigners, Catalonia is the Autonomous Community in Spain receiving the second highest number of tourists during these three winter months, only surpassed by the Canaries, which welcomed 4,077,759 international visitors.

Researchers from the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Catalan capital’s CELLEX Biomedical Research Centre (IDIBAPS-UB) have found the essential role played by cholesterol in cell mobility and tissue invasion, which also means its role in cancer propagation. In fact, this research, led by Professor Carles Enrich, is a key study for better understanding of cancer metastasis – the process in which cancer cells invade healthy tissues – and progresses the discussion on the relationship between cholesterol levels and cancer incidence. The paper is published in open access ‘Cell Reports’. In short they found that the so-called “bad” cholesterol (LDL cells) promotes cell mobility while “good” cholesterol (HDL cells) avoids cell propagation. The study opens new therapeutic paths to blocking cancer metastasis.

The Catalan highway and telecom company Abertis has closed a €291 million deal to buy the remaining 42.3% of the shares of the Rutas del Pacífico highway management enterprise. Abertis, which is a world leader in the highway management business, already controls 57.3% of the South American company and now it has bought Capital Riesgo Global, Grupo Santander and Inversora de Infrastructuras (Invin) the rest. The new operation will be completed in the second half of 2014, although the Catalan multinational will not have to pay the €291 million until August 2019. With this deal, Abertis will also take control of 50% of the Autopista Central highway company.

Piqué’s contract, which runs until the end of next season (30 June 2015), has been extended for four more seasons. The Catalan defender has played 266 games for FC Barcelona in 6 seasons. He has scored 20 goals and has won 16 titles so far. The new contract will keep Piqué at the Catalan club until the end of the 2018/19 season and will be signed within the next few days. After coming up through the academy system, Piqué spent three years with Manchester United and another season with Zaragoza before returning to Barça in 2008, coinciding with the start of the Guardiola era.

FC Barcelona has announced the signing of the keeper from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Marc-André Ter Stegen, and the departure of José Manuel Pinto after six and a half years of service to the team. In addition, youngsters Gerard Deulofeu and Rafinha Alcantára will be returning to the Club after a year out on loan at Everton and Celta Vigo respectively. The Catalan winger and the Brazilian born midfielder both came up through the Masia and they have put in impressive performances on loan this year. Ter Stegen is one of the new signings for the 2014/15 Barça squad, announced by Football Director Andoni Zubizarreta and FC Barcelona's Board of Directors. On top of this, they also confirmed that José Manuel Pinto will no longer defend Barça’s goal now that his contract has expired.

Exports from companies based in Catalonia reached €14.69 billion during the first 3 months of 2014, a 4.1% increase on the same period of 2013. Catalan exports stagnated in 2013 on 2012 figures, with 0.1% growth, after a few years of significant increase. The figures from the first quarter of 2014 point towards a recovery of export growth, mostly thanks to the month of March, when exports grew by 7.8% compared to the same month of 2013. In the whole of Spain, exports increased by 3.2% in the first quarter and Catalonia represented 25.2% of total Spanish exports. The chemical industry accounted for 27.6% of Catalan exports, followed by capital goods and the car industry. 65.4% of Catalonia’s exports went to European Union markets, while exports to Asia accounted for 9%.

The Catalan Executive raised the alarm on Monday: the Spanish Ministry of Industry is planning to take away 1 of the 2 multiplexes run by the Catalan Public Television Broadcaster (TVC), which means reducing its number of TV channels. By halving the spectrum available for TVC – which is traditionally the leader for TV audiences in Catalonia – the Spanish Government will oblige the broadcaster to reduce its number of channels. This will decrease its audience and therefore its influence, which might also bring a reduction of advertising income and a consequent weakening of the public service. The Catalan Government sees "an undoubted" political motivation in this decision, aiming to decrease the influence of Catalan-speaking media by rendering TVC "residual".

In the first debate ever among the official candidates to chair the European Commission, Catalonia's self-determination process, the referendum and the EU membership of a hypothetical Catalan independent state was discussed. After a question from the debate's host, Italian journalist Monica Maggioni, about Scotland and Catalonia, each of the five candidates shared their views on the issue. Juncker (People's Party) and Schultz (Socialist) called for respect for constitutional frameworks and insisted that Scotland and Catalonia are internal matters for the UK and Spain. Verhofstadt (Liberals) emphasised that the EU has to listen to the citizens and that it cannot intervene in a negative way, as it has done so far in this issue. Keller (Greens) promised that if Scots and Catalans vote for independence, she will work for an automatic membership. Tsipras (Alternative Left) recognised the right to self-determination but suggested greater autonomy within their respective countries as the best solution for Catalonia and Scotland.

Barcelona's Sagrada Familía Basilica and Museum and Figueres' Salvador Dalí Theatre-Museum topped Catalonia's visitor rankings with 3.18 million and 1.58 million respectively.  In total, 21,593,992 people visited Catalonia's museums and collections during last year. FC Barcelona's Museum came in third place with 1.51 million people, followed by the science museum CosmoCaixa (1.25 million) and the temporary exhibitions' centre CaixaForum Barcelona (979,000 people). The last two are owned and managed by the Catalan savings bank La Caixa. The Art-Nouveau buildings designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí La Pedrera and Casa Batlló are also among the highlights, with 973,000 and 796,000 visitors respectively. Barcelona's Picasso Museum (915,000) and the Joan Miró Foundation (911,000) are also among the most popular art centres.

The FC Barcelona Captain bowed out at an emotional event at the Camp Nou this Thursday afternoon, surrounded by Barça heroes, past and present. "It’s the end of an era, but there will be more and I hope to enjoy them as much as this one. Thank you all very much and visca el Barça!", stated Carles Puyol. The team's greatest captain leaves FC Barcelona after a fifteen year career in the first team that has brought him 21 titles. Recalling his time as a boy, playing football in the street with his brother and his friend Javi Perez, Puyol commented:"I came here as a boy and I’m leaving with a family who I’m really proud of".

The Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, compared the independence referendums in Donetsk and Lugansk with Catalonia’s self-determination process. The Spokesperson of the Catalan Government, Francesc Homs, rejected the comparison and stated that García-Margallo “is making a mistake” since “he is putting Spain’s image in a place that should not interest him”. “In any case, Catalonia does not compare itself” with Eastern Ukraine, Homs added. On previous occasions he has drawn attention to the peaceful demands from Catalonia, which could fit into Spain’s constitutional framework if there was the political will. Besides, the Catalan Government issued a statement in which it did not recognize the legitimacy of Donetsk’s and Lugansk’s referendums but expressed its full support for the EU decisions.