Catalan vote does little to clarify region’s future
Spanish prime minister, separatist leader willing to talk but not on the same page
BARCELONA, Spain — Spain’s worst political crisis in decades showed few signs of abating Friday after Catalan separatist parties clinched a parliamentary majority in an exceptional election called by the country’s prime minister, who remained steadfast in his refusal to consider independence for the prosperous region.
The outcome of Thursday’s election, in which an anti-secession party also made its best showing to date, did yield a sign of possible movement: Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the pro-independence regional president he removed from office said they were ready to talk.
However, the two men made clear they were working off different sets of presumptions for a potential dialogue.
Speaking from Brussels, where he fled nearly eight weeks ago to avoid being arrested on possible rebellion and sedition charges, ex-Catalan president Carles Puigdemont said he would talk with Rajoy under one condition — their meeting would have to be outside Spain.
Even with Puigdemont campaigning from Belgium, his Together for Catalonia party snared 34 of the regional parliament’s 135 seats, making it the most popular separatist party.
As the leading separatist candidate, Puigdemont could try to become president of Catalonia again. The new parliament would not be able to elect him for the post unless he returns to Barcelona, the regional capital, but he is likely to be arrested when he turns up on Spanish soil.
The election results nonetheless strengthened Puigdemont’s hand, as separatist politicians won 70 of the parliament seats altogether. Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party secured just three seats, a major embarrassment for the prime minister.
“More than two million people are in favour of Catalonia’s independence,” Puigdemont said, referring to the election results. “Recognizing reality is vital if we are to find a solution.”
Rajoy ignored his adversary’s appeal for a meeting, declaring instead that the election show a “new era based on dialogue” was beginning in Catalonia. He also set out a condition of his own for any talks: Separatist officeholders must abide by the Spanish constitution, which says the country is “indivisible.”
“I will make an effort to dialogue with the government that forms in Catalonia, but I expect it to stop acting unilaterally and outside the law,” Rajoy told reporters.
Negotiations in the past involved a compromise of granting Catalonia more self-government rights, but separatists are likely to use their regained majority to push for a binding referendum on secession.
Rajoy, invoking constitutional authority to temporarily take over a region’s affairs, fired the Catalan government that Puigdemont led and dissolved the regional parliament after separatist lawmakers declared Catalonia’s independence in October. They based the declaration on results from a voter referendum that Spanish courts ruled was illegal.
The prime minister then called the election held Thursday.