I represent the pro-independence Catalan Republican Left in Spain's Congress. Part of my job, therefore, is trying to explain and sustain our quest for social justice and for Catalan Freedom in the Spanish Parliament. It is not an easy job, not only because the two main Spanish parties are against such ideas, but also because they oppose the notion of self-determination itself. In contrast to the Scottish/British scenario, the Catalan/Spanish issue could seem in deadlock, since Madrid does not allow Catalans to vote on their future. There have been a number of proposals for holding a referendum among citizens living in Catalonia to ask the people about independence in a future Catalan … [Read more...] about Catalonia is close to independence, despite Madrid
catalan independence
Scrupulously ridiculous
On Wednesday, the Catalan parliament voted on a Declaration of Sovereignty that is meant as a cornerstone for a referendum on independence envisaged for 2014. It was backed by CiU and ERC, which supports the minority government, plus the eco-communist ICV. The unionist Ciutadans and the Partido Popular (PP) voted against, as did the majority of the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), although five of its deputies abstained in protest against the party line. This declaration is best defined by what it is not. It did not create a united front against Madrid. It did not garner the support of the two-thirds of the Catalan parliament necessary to change the Catalan Estatut, missing a benchmark … [Read more...] about Scrupulously ridiculous
2013: Another rough ride for Spain
Last year presented probably the toughest baptism of fire for any Spanish prime minister since the transition to democracy, but Mariano Rajoy knows that this year will be just as challenging. The big problems facing his government in the coming months are, for the most part, those that dominated 2012: the markets and a pending bailout; rising unemployment; lack of growth; social unrest; and Catalonia’s push for independence. The bailout presents perhaps the most vexing problem for Rajoy, because it demands decisiveness from a notoriously equivocal politician. Although Spain’s borrowing costs have dropped from their alarming levels last summer following Mario Draghi’s assurances … [Read more...] about 2013: Another rough ride for Spain
The argument for Spanish in Catalan schools
Last week offered a highlight in the debate over the law proposed by Education Minister José Ignacio Wert. Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida, one of the leaders of the Catalan nationalist CiU bloc, revealed in a speech to the Spanish parliament that in Catalonia, “often the majority language in the schoolyards is not Catalan, it regrettably continues to be Spanish”. How much Spanish would not be cause for regret? Or should no Spanish-speaking children use their native language? In the schoolyard, i.e. during recess. During lessons they already cannot use it, except in Spanish language class. Certainly, there are shades of grey, but this is the overall policy that is being implemented in … [Read more...] about The argument for Spanish in Catalan schools
The ‘Spanishization’ crusade of José Ignacio Wert
If we take a quick look around Spain today we see a number of issues that are clearly in need of urgent action: the judicial system is facing the rebellion of judges who are sick of the political manipulation of justice; thousands of tax-dodgers enjoy the protection of the state while tax-haven whistleblower Hervé Falciani languishes in a Spanish prison; the police are exposed as criminally complicit in a number of cases of financial scandal and political dirty tricks, as well as grossly incompetent in investigating serious crimes; the wave of suicides caused by mortgage repossession continues unabated; and leading figures from all political parties and even the royal family are on trial as … [Read more...] about The ‘Spanishization’ crusade of José Ignacio Wert
Iberian of the Year 2012: Artur Mas
For most of 2012, Catalonia was just one of many political concerns in the wing mirror of the Spanish government. The region’s premier, Artur Mas i Gavarró, had been pressing for increased economic powers for some time, arguing that Catalonia did not receive enough investment from the Spanish state in exchange for the taxes it paid. For the government in Madrid, this was nothing new or particularly worrying. But on September 11, as Catalonia celebrated its national day, the Diada, hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of Barcelona, behind a banner calling for independence for the region. This outpouring of separatist feeling surprised the world – and the rest of … [Read more...] about Iberian of the Year 2012: Artur Mas
Artur Mas
[sharethis] For most of 2012, Catalonia was just one of many political concerns in the wing mirror of the Spanish government. The region’s premier, Artur Mas i Gavarró, had been pressing for increased economic powers for some time, arguing that Catalonia did not receive enough investment from the Spanish state in exchange for the taxes it paid. For the government in Madrid, this was nothing new or particularly worrying. But on September 11, as Catalonia celebrated its national day, the Diada, hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of Barcelona, behind a banner calling for independence for the region. This outpouring of separatist feeling surprised the world – and the … [Read more...] about Artur Mas
Catalonia’s gambler Mas fails with his biggest bet yet
"Leaders are those who interpret the sense of every historic moment, those who find their path by listening attentively to the heartbeat of society.” Artur Mas’s words on taking power as Catalonia’s new regional premier in 2010 have clearly informed his last three months in office, a period during which Catalonia's relationship with Madrid has been the predominant political issue. His push for greater economic autonomy for Catalans, followed by the more ambitious goal of independence do, he believes, reflect the region’s “heartbeat”. But on Sunday, as results came in from the region’s election, which he called early in the biggest gamble of his career, it became clear that much of … [Read more...] about Catalonia’s gambler Mas fails with his biggest bet yet
Artur Mas on Catalan independence
Catalan election offers Mas hope of independence mandate
Sunday’s election in Catalonia is probably the most significant in the region since Spain’s transition to democracy in the late 1970s, due to the way the issue of independence has utterly dominated the campaign. Although the central government’s Partido Popular (PP) will not win, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will follow the election extremely closely. The upsurge in pro-independence sentiment in Catalonia has suddenly emerged as Rajoy’s most urgent political challenge and he has struggled to deal with it effectively. Guy Hedgecoe examines the Catalan independence drive (Audio): Catalan Independence (Audio) A resounding win for the incumbent, Artur Mas of the CiU mainstream … [Read more...] about Catalan election offers Mas hope of independence mandate