Photo: LLUIS GENE/AFP/GettyImages
Carles Puigdemont, the president of Catalonia, on the evening of October 10 put his signature to a document that declared the region’s independence from Spain, but then said the move would not be implemented for several weeks.
The text, proclaiming the constitution of a “Catalan republic as an independent and sovereign state”, was signed by 72 members of Catalonia’s parliament but appeared to have little legal credibility.
The move, a significant but largely symbolic act to try to pressure the Spanish government to negotiate over Catalan independence, came shortly after a speech by Puigdemont in which he had seemingly stopped short of the unilateral declaration of independence feared by Madrid and the European Union after a referendum vote marred by police violence. This was met with discontent from the pro-nationalist majority in parliament.
“You can’t suspend a declaration of independence you haven’t made,” the Catalan Socialist Party leader, Miquel Iceta, added after Puigdemont had spoken. “It’s an insult to common sense,” tweeted Catalonia’s Partido Popular party.
Puigdemont told the regional parliament that the “people’s will” was to break away from Madrid, but he also said he wanted to “de-escalate” the tension around the issue. He said it is worth exploring international mediation between Catalonia and Spain.
This was dismissed by the Spanish central government in Madrid. Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria responded to these developments by saying: “Neither Mr Puigdemont nor anybody else can claim… to impose mediation.”
France and Germany oppose Catalonia’s bid for independence. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the European Union should not mediate in the crisis. Spain’s government is able to handle the situation on its own, Macron said.
The October 1 referendum resulted in almost 90% of voters backing independence, Catalan officials say. But anti-independence voters largely boycotted the ballot – which had a reported turnout of 43% – and there were several reports of police violence, with national police reportedly using rubber bullets against the voters and hiding the ballot boxes.
There is much more to the story than stated above, but OK. If it goes ahead the whole of Spain will dismantle with the Basques probably the next to go, which will then bring France into the whole mess.
Regards Germany, I can only think of Bavaria that will push for it, but I am rather ignorant of their different factions.
In my view Madrid played this so badly, they deserve everything they get.
Do not dream. They have exactly zero support from international actors. It’s just a circus to get more money from the Spanish central government.
well, actually to pay less taxes, but OK.
Nope: Catalonia does not have it’s own tax system, like Navarra and the Basque Autonomous Community have. It collects taxes ON BEHALF of the State. And remember, all the other competencies are DEVOLVED by the State (top-down), as the sovereign in Spain is the Spanish people.
With a big sigh, I state, that you must bring in some history here.
What he is saying the spanish people have control as to how the government operates and this way you have more “bureaucrazies” taking even more money. They will maintain the control and get rid of the republic as they have been in the US for years. John F. Kennedy worried about plotters trying to change the laws in the US to enslave the people and he was going to work on stopping the plot and he was shortly killed after that statement. Look at the World around you do you think it was changed at the snap of the fingers, they started working on it earlier and freedoms continually are being curtailed in the name of security and protection. If you think it’s not happening it is and has been as they give themselves more security and less freedoms to the people while protecting themselves.
I am sorry Terra, but I do think we are discussing about nothing here as we seem to be on the same side, hence stating ” that you must bring in some history here”.
I could be wrong though.
It´s the opposite in fact. Now everybody in the basque country knows what ihappens if you try to get independence, it´s the best way to become a failed poor country. I tell you from the basque country…
Spain is going to be stronger after overcoming this crisis.
If you noticed my comments above I stated “I hope they don’t split” – I am in no way promoting it, but the way Madrid acted ESPECIALLY remembering some relatively recent activities with Franco, it is understandable.
My wife is Spanish and I have extended family in both regions we discuss (not Basque), Spain main (Valencia) and Catalonia and they fight each other verbally and sometimes more – and have done for the 17 years since I have known them (the vino does seem to set it off).
As for your comment, I hope it does overcome the crisis and Spain does become stronger, but I stand by comments of taxes etc. used to be less FOR THE PEOPLE before (decades ago, but yes), they became a region of Spain + when I saw the beatings of normal people, I was appalled and I am a Brit, Christ only knows what they think now.
Madrid screwed up, end of for me.
We shall agree to disagree.
What about Former East Germany they were never asked and if they held a referendum so to would end Merkel’s govt.This could be how they envisioned running the One world government having all these tiny fiefdoms fight each other as Rome did.
Madrid played this as the only way they could but funny how the media missed what was actually going on and showed they were acting on behalf of the Policy wonks mindless drivel.
We should leave this topic as, as my last post back to you, I think I am trying to state (less eloquently) than you, the same or a similar point.
I totally agree with your “one government / NWO” etc. arguments with the exception of the brute force used by the Madrid police. In my view that will unite many people of all beliefs and of all Countries to eliminate authoritism and could indeed bring the Country (Spain) closer together in the end.
Everyday, more and more people are waking up and as the Yanks say “smelling the coffee” !!!!!!, personally as I have stated a few times previously; The NWO is dead, long live the NWO II.
Sorry if I waffle.
Ridiculous statement by the man-who-pooed-his-pants. He wanted to be a hero, but he is just a zero (you cannot declare independence with the support of 38’5% of the electorate). Soon the autonomy will be suspended by the State, through art.155 of the Spanish Constitution. End of (this part of the) story.