Catalonia independence victory sparks call for talks with Spain
Vote signals ‘new era’ for Catalonia Separatist leader ready to meet PM
Catalan leader and separatist champion Carles Puigdemont has called for talks with his main Spanish adversary following a regional election in Catalonia that gave pro-independence parties a parliamentary majority.
Mr Puigdemont, who fled Spain almost two months ago to avoid arrest after going against court rulings and pushing for unilateral Catalan independence, said from Brussells that Thursday’s election in the restive Spanish region opened “a new era” for Catalonia.
He said he was ready to meet Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy without pre-conditions anywhere in the European Union other than Spain.
“More than two million people are in favour of Catalonia’s independence,” Mr Puigdemont said, referring to the election results.
“Recognising reality is vital if we are to find a solution.”
Mr Puigdemont added that he would return to Barcelona if the new parliament elected him as regional leader. The legal protections he would have as an elected leader remain unclear.
Mr Rajoy called the snap election after Catalan separatists declared independence in October following a referendum deemed illegal by Spanish authorities.
He also fired the Catalan government that Mr Puigdemont ran and dissolved its parliament. Mr Rajoy has ruled out independence for the wealthy north-eastern Spanish region, saying the move is unconstitutional.
Though the pro-spain Ciutadans collected most votes in the ballot, it was a bittersweet victory for the business-friendly party as separatist parties won most seats in the region’s parliament.
Mr Puigdemont’s Together for Catalonia secured 34 seats in the 135-seat regional assemformer bly, making it the most popular separatist party.
Two other pro-independence parties made up the dominant bloc; the left-wing republican ERC party, which collected 32 seats, and the radical, anti-capitalist CUP, which has four seats.
Mr Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party came last with just three seats in what was a major blow to the country’s governing party.
The separatists’ slim parliamentary majority will allow them together to negotiate the formation of a government. Past squabbles between them suggest it won’t be easy.
Fernando Vallespin, a professor of political studies at Madrid’s Autonomous University, said there were many unpredictable factors clouding the immediate future of Catalonia, including the legal issues and whether the separatist parties could find common ground. “It really is an unknown situation,” he said.
Areminderoftheseparatists’ legal woes came when a judge investigating them for leading an illegal independence push in October announced yesterday the rebellion and sedition probe is being widened to six more Catalan politicians.
People walking by the sea in the Catalan capital Barcelona said before Mr Puigdemont spoke they wanted Spain’s political leaders to sit down and work out a solution for the tense and drawn-out stalemate.
Beatriz Versosa, a 33-yearold product manager, expressed regret at the lack of progress. She said “the rulers of Spain and Catalonia (must) put themselves in the place of citizens and understand that they must solve the issue and set aside the most extreme positions.”
Mercedes Aras chided the Spanish government for imposing direct rule from Madrid after Catalan separatist parties in October unilaterally declared independence. The 54-year-old historian wanted Spanish authorities to “sit down to negotiate on a realistic basis”.
Computer analyst Didag Fortun said the ballot had changed nothing.