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In addition, he warned about an ongoing re-centralisation process, going against the consensus of 1978, and whose next step “will be the electoral reform”, which “will sentence us [Catalan nationalists] as galley slaves”. The day that King Juan Carlos was ratifying with his signature the amendment to the Spanish Constitution, one of the main law’s six founding fathers criticised the reform. Miquel Roca, who represented the views of the Catalan nationalists in 1978 criticised a reform approved only with the support of the two main parties in Spain, both defending centralist stances.

The Constitutional amendment limiting public deficit in Spain has been only approved with the votes from the PSOE and the PP at the Spanish Parliament. Four parties decided to quit the plenary room at the moment of the voting, whilst the Catalan moderate nationalists and the Basque moderate nationalists stayed but decided not to vote. They complained about the way the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and the People’s Party (PP) have negotiated and agreed on the second constitutional reform without the input of the other parties.

Meanwhile, the Catalan Government, run by the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition ‘Convergència i Unió’ (CiU), announces its own law on budget stability. The CiU feels excluded from the reform of the Spanish Constitution to limit public deficit, especially as they had been one of the key actors when negotiating and approving the Constitution in 1978. The CiU’s Spokesperson warned that, since “the Constitutional consensus” had been broken by the PP and the PSOE, “a great clash with unforeseeable and undesired consequences will happen” if nothing changes.

The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) decides not to break the Socialists’ unity and not to force a call for a binding referendum on the constitutional amendment. In addition, the PSC rejects the request of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) to include within the Constitution a limitation not only the public deficit but also a limitation on inter-regional fiscal redistribution. Moreover, the CiU stated that it has been excluded from the Constitution’s modification and therefore the Constitutional consensus is now broken.

A similar change happened in Girona Town Hall, where Carles Puigdemont, also from CiU, also became the first non-Socialist Mayor in the last 32 years, since the restoration of democracy. Barcelona and Girona Town Halls were constituted later than all the rest because of appeals regarding the electoral vote and the number of elected councillors. These two Mayoral offices consolidate CiU’s hegemony in Catalonia, after last May's municipal elections and after last November's Catalan Parliament elections.

The Catalan People’s Party (PPC) abstained and facilitated the rejection of the motions to substitute the budget bill presented by the Catalan Government, run by the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition CiU. The motions had been presented by four parliamentary groups for a range of reasons, but mainly because the Government’s budget proposal was cutting too much social spending while it did not make enough efforts to raise revenues.

The good results at the municipal elections give the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition ‘Convergència i Unió’ (CiU), running the Government, the support of citizens to carry on with the austerity measures and its plan to reduce public expenditure by 10%. After the Government’s approval, the budget will be discussed at the Catalan Parliament and approved by the end of July. CiU does not want to mix budget negotiations at the Parliament with local agreements after the municipal elections.

'Convergència i Unió' (CiU) increases its vote share across Catalonia and becomes the leading party in number of votes. The large victory backs the Catalan Government’s controversial austerity measures. The Catalan Government and Barcelona City Council will be run by the same party, CiU. The Catalan Socialist Party loses large cities and 22% of its votes across the country. The People’s Party becomes the third party and wins in Badalona with a discourse focused on illegal immigration. ERC loses around a third of its votes but other pro Catalan independence parties gain support. The xenophobic and extreme right PxC remains marginal but increases its base and enters the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. The turnout was 55%, one point higher than in 2007. The null or spoilt vote multiplied its share by three but remains marginal.

In the last elections, the elimination of the tax was one of the main promises of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition, Convergència i Unió (CiU), which controls the Catalan Government. From January 1st 2011, first and second degree relatives will have a 99% bonus on this tax. The decision has been taken in the middle of the debate about public expenditure cuts.

The Catalan Government’s initiative received the support of its own group (CiU) as well as votes from the opposition: the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), the Catalan People’s Party (PPC) and the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC). The Catalan Minister for Economy Andreu Mas-Colell explained the details of the legal initiative that was passed via an urgency procedure. The initial amount will be of 2,613 million euros.

Francesc Homs is Artur Mas’ right-hand man in the CiU leadership and the director of the last elections’ programme. Homs is the CiU’s policy developer and now he will coordinate the new Catalan Government. Homs will continue being Mas’ closest collaborator. He will assist him in defining the Government’s main policies and he will push for action. In addition, he will directly control sensitive areas and will be the Government’s spokesperson.

The new Secretary of the Government was the party’s CFO and one of Artur Mas’ most trusted collaborators. As his duties were internal, Gordó was not a well-known figure. However, his role in the party was essential, as it will in the new Government. Gordó will remain somewhat in the shadows, as his new responsibility is to ensure the Government’s functionality. He will be in charge of preparing Government meetings and ensuring that decisions are implemented. He will also directly manage some concrete services, such as the Government’s offices across Catalonia and abroad.

The new Minister for Business and Employment is an independent, expert in Managerial Economics and austerity measures. He was the Director of ESADE Business School’s Economics Department (1992-2000), where he was teaching until now. He has a PhD in Economics and a Bachelors degree in Law. Mena has experience in the private sector consultancy and banking, especially in the area of Tourism and Analysis, as well in international markets, particularly in emerging economies.

The new Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability was the former Mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, a middle-to-upper class residential city next to Barcelona. Recoder represents the most social-democratic and least identity-centred sensibility in the Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC), the Liberal wing of the two-party Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU). Recoder’s Ministry changes its name and increases its mandate.

The Vice President and the Ministers of the new Catalan Government were sworn into office at noon. The first Government meeting took place just afterwards to appoint most of the Deputy Ministers. In the afternoon, the former Vice President and Ministers switched portfolios with the new appointees. The Left-Wing Government coalition is, from today, officially over. The new President, Artur Mas, promises an efficient and austere Government, with experienced members.