14.10.2014 - 09:28
Parties supporting the self-determination vote scheduled for the 9th of November met on Monday in Barcelona to discuss whether to carry on the consultation vote as it is currently planned or to launch instead an alternative way in order to allow Catalans to have their say on their collective future, in view of the total opposition from the Spanish authorities to the current self-determination process. According to two parties present at the meeting, the Catalan Government has ruled out the organisation of the consultation as had been designed by the decree that has been temporarily suspended by the Spanish Constitutional Court. At 10 am president Artur Mas will explain it in detail in a public meeting
The main reason would be that the vote does not have enough democratic guarantees given all the legal obstacles thrown in its way by the Spanish Executive. Instead, the Catalan Government would have proposedorganising a “participatory process” without ballot boxes on the same day, using the legislation that has not been suspended by the Constitutional Court. It is not clear whether this alternative would include ballot boxes or not. This alternative should be disclosed on Tuesday morning by the Catalan President, Artur Mas.
The Spanish Government already said on Friday it will also appeal against such an alternative.
Right now, there is no consensus on holding the 9th of November vote as designed and nor on having early elections as an alternative, although it seems the most likely option. If parties clearly supporting independence were to win those elections, a unilateral declaration of independence would be backed by a democratic mandate.
The left-wing Catalan independence party ERC, which is Mas’ main ally, has announced through a press release that does not back such an alternative and states that, if Catalans cannot hold a self-determination consultation vote, the next step should be early elections and a unilateral declaration of independence. However, they have also added that they will help the Catalan Government to ensure that Catalans can vote.
The Catalan green socialist and post-communist coalition ICV-EUiA has stated that they will wait to know Mas’ proposal in order to decide their stance.
The alternative left and radical independence party CUP stressed that they will work to keep the consultation vote on the 9th of November and have organised an assembly this very same night to decide what to do next.
The two-party centre-right pro-Catalan state coalition (CiU), which runs the Catalan Government since 2010 and is formed by the Liberal CDC and Christian-Democrat UDC, has not said anything and will for its leader and Catalan President, Artur Mas, to talk on Tuesday at 10am.
More information on this issue:
Catalan leaders: Consultation vote will proceed (04.10.2014)
International media chides president Rajoy (03.10.2014)
Thousands protest against Constitutional Court independence consultation suspension (30.09.2014)
Constitutional Court temporarily suspends Catalonia’s self-determination consultation (29.09.2014)
