parliament

As expected, Núria de Gispert became the first woman to chair the Catalan Parliament, which has its origins in the 13th Century and is one of the oldest Parliaments in the world. The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) holds 4 of the 7 positions within the Bureau, including the chair. The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) has 2 posts and the Catalan People’s Party (PPC), 1. The 4 smaller parties were not represented in the Bureau.

Albert Rivera leads this party, which ran for the first time in the last elections and got 3 seats in the Catalan Parliament. Polls predict they could repeat these results or increase by 1 seat. Ciudadanos (meaning “Citizens”) defends the use of the Spanish language, stating that it is in danger in Catalonia. The party was born as a reaction to the debate on the Catalan Statute of Autonomy’s reform.

After more than 3 years of negotiation, the Conservative People’s Party (PP) and the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) have finally agreed on a replacement procedure for the Constitutional Court magistrates who currently have expired mandates. The Constitutional Court has had 4 magistrates with expired 9-year mandates since 2007. The Senate should have already appointed new magistrates, but the two main parties, especially the PP, have been blocking the process.

Catalan President José Montilla has finally announced the voting day after weeks of rumours. He surprised many people last week when he did not dissolve the Parliament and did not call for elections on the 24th of October, the most likely day. The opposition as well as a party in his Government coalition were asking for an urgent clarification and to have the elections as soon as possible.

Groups for and against the bullfighting prohibition clash in front of Barcelona's only bullring just days after the Catalan Parliament decided to ban the fiesta

The Catalan Parliament has finally approved the bullfighting ban in Catalonia. This morning, an absolute majority of 68 votes has modified the previous Animal Protection Law and banned bullfighting from 2012 on.

The Catalan Parliament will vote tomorrow on a popular initiative to ban bullfighting in Catalonia. The initiative has spurred great expectation abroad, as well as lively controversy in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.

A new law has just been approved that would give 60,000 people access to health care that previously did not have it. The majority of these individuals are liberal professionals who do not pay social security, members of religious groups, and members of s

This afternoon the Spanish Parliament will vote on the labour market reform approved by Zapatero?s Government last Wednesday. The reform already entered into force but it can be modified or blocked today by the Parliament. Last Thursday, the President of

Finn Erling Kydland says new political status would generate financial confidence and attract investment

This measure is part of a plan to cut the public deficit at all levels of government. It has passed with the only positive votes from the parties in the Government´s Left-Wing coalition.

Parliament President considers waiting time on Catalan Statute for Autonomy to be unbearable