Non-secessionists condemn resolution calling for ‘beginning of a process of the creation of an independent Catalan state’

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Catalonia has put itself on a collision course with the Madrid government after the newly elected parliament put forward a resolution calling for “the beginning of a process of the creation of an independent Catalan state in the form of a republic”.



Effectively a unilateral declaration of independence, the resolution has already been condemned by the non-secessionist Catalan parties as a coup d’etat.

In Madrid the ruling People’s party government and the Socialist opposition both issued statements condemning the move.



The prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, called it a provocation and said: “As long as I am president of a nation of free and equal citizens, justice will prevail over unreason.”

He added that the state would not shy away from using “all political and judicial mechanisms in defence of the common good and the sovereignty of Spain as laid down in the constitution”.



However, the resolution proposed by the new parliamentary president, Carme Forcadell, states explicitly that “the process of democratic disconnection [from Spain] will not be subject to decisions made by the institutions of the Spanish state and in particular the constitutional court”, which she said has been “delegitimised”.

Forcadell, the former head of the hardcore secessionist Assemblea Nacional Catalana, was elected leader at the weekend thanks in part to the votes of five Podemos deputies, even though the group has always declared itself to be against secession.



The resolution pledges to “adopt all means necessary to begin this process of democratic, massive, sustained and peaceful disconnection”.

The Catalan people have spoken. Will the Spanish government listen? | Artur Mas Read more

Forcadell called for civil disobedience in the face of moves by Madrid to block secession and finished her acceptance speech crying out: “Viva the Catalan republic!”



In last month’s regional elections, the pro-secessionist coalition won a majority of seats but failed to secure a majority of the popular vote.

With only 48% voting in favour of secession, the victors then gave the impression that the time was not ripe to break away from Spain. But it appears they have had a change of heart and are impatient with the 52% of Catalan voters who do not share their point of view on national sovereignty.



In an online poll in the Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia on Tuesday, 64% of 1,500 respondents said they did not support the motion to create an independent state.



With a general election due in seven weeks, the move could have enormous and unpredictable repercussions. On the one hand it could work in the beleaguered Rajoy’s favour, as he could play the champion of Spanish unity and distract from his weak performance on jobs and the economy.



The anti-austerity Podemos party, and especially its leader Pablo Iglesias, could suffer as its supporters in Catalonia and the rest of Spain may not understand why it has supported Forcadell and the secessionist resolution.



On the other hand, the declaration may serve as a call to arms to the half of Catalan voters who do not favour independence and who could vote massively for non-secessionist candidates in Spain’s December elections.