Catalan opposition to file joint appeal against independence motion

Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera on Tuesday confirmed that the 52 non-secessionist representatives in the Catalan parliament – the sum of Ciudadanos, the Catalan Socialists and the Catalan Popular Party (PP) – would on Wednesday file a joint appeal before the Constitutional Court to challenge the fact that the regional chamber has accepted a debate on the motion declaring the start of the independence process for the northeastern region.

This marks the first time that these parties have united in any meaningful way, underscoring how the separatist challenge is already changing Spanish politics and causing a shift in allegiances and priorities.

The joint appeal underscores how the separatist challenge is already changing Spanish politics and causing a shift in allegiances and priorities

Catalan separatist parties are attempting to force the regional parliament into quickly passing a motion that will kick-start the independence process before the session to swear in the new premier takes place next Monday.

Carme Forcadell, the new speaker of the Catalan parliament, has called a meeting of parliamentary spokespersons for Tuesday even though the PP has yet to appoint its representative.

This meeting is a requirement before the motion to start the independence process can be brought to the floor.

The conservative PP is deliberately using up its legal deadline before naming a spokesperson in a bid to halt a process that, like most other Catalan opposition parties, it views as illegal.

Last week, the ruling Junts pel Sí separatist bloc and the radical left CUP drafted a motion that calls for the beginning of the process to create an independent Catalan republic. This document also expressly defends disobeying Spain’s Constitutional Court because separatists consider it a biased institution.

Since then, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has been meeting with leaders of other mainstream parties, chiefly the Socialists, Ciudadanos and Podemos, in an effort to come up with a coordinated response to this challenge to Spain’s laws.

In an interview on the regional radio station RAC1, Catalan government official Francesc Homs said that the motion would move to the floor in the coming days no matter what tactics the opposition comes up with.

“One way or another, the motion will be voted on next week,” he said, adding that there were “alternative mechanisms” for the session to be held “in case the Constitutional Court, a partisan arbiter presided by a PP man, gets it into its head to suspend the plenary session.”

Forcadell has issued invitations to the meeting of parliamentary spokespeople to individual PP deputies, but the party said it would not be attending because it deems it “illegal.” Ciudadanos and the Catalan Socialists have said they will show up, but will consider any decisions made there invalid.

One way or another, the motion will be voted on next week” Catalan government spokesman Francesc Homs

All opposition groups in the Catalan parliament have asked Forcadell to postpone the meeting, but her reply on Monday was that it was “going to be held.” Forcadell, formerly the head of the pro-secession association Catalan National Assembly (ANC), accepted her new position as speaker last week with a “Long live the Catalan republic!”

Although Ciudadanos, the Catalan Socialists and the leftist coalition Catalunya Sí que es Pot – which includes emerging leftist party Podemos – want the meeting to be postponed, CUP, whose support is essential to Junts pel Sí, has insisted that the motion must be debated and approved by Monday, November 9 because of the symbolism of the date: it marks the first anniversary of the unofficial referendum on self-rule organized by Catalan separatists.

Monday is also the day when acting premier Artur Mas, of Junts pel Sí, will know whether he has enough support for a new term in office after winning the elections on September 27.

His reinstatement is in no way guaranteed, as CUP has repeatedly said it will not vote for him, but Junts pel Sí is hoping that the passing of the separatist motion on the same day would eclipse a defeat by Mas.

English version by Susana Urra.