Spain’s Prime Minister gave Catalonia an ultimatum to clarify their independence stance by Monday. As of Monday morning in Spain, there’s still been no word from any Catalan leader on he matter.
Spanish officials are saying they intend to seize control of Catalonia outright if they get even an “ambiguous” answer about the future of the region, and are demanding that President Carles Puigdemont unconditionally abandon secession.
Spain’s position is that Catalonia’s referendum on secession, which overwhelmingly passed, didn’t count. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says that he is prepared to use constitutional authority to place the region under direct rule of the Spanish government, and will revoke their long-standing autonomy.
Puigdemont is in a tough position, with Spain threatening to arrest him for declaring independence, and Catalan parties are threatening to withdraw support from Puigdemont if he doesn’t follow through on the voters’ demands for independence..
Puigdemont signed the declaration of independence last week, but suspended the declaration, trying to set up talks on the process. But Spain has rejected talks, and there’s been no progress on the matter, with Spain’s deadline looking to force his hand.
Why all this charade if you don’t have the guts to go through with it till the end?
It’s all about moving the window of discourse. The referendum was a charade and the unity voters didn’t even participate.
I disagree. This is no charade. Spain has been known to crack some skulls to keep their tax stock inline
I don’t mean the police repsponse, I mean the referendum was a charade. It wasn’t a legal referendum, and the majority that wants to remain with Spain barely participated.
The purpose was to force a discussion about independence and get the foreign media portraying a narrative of Catalonia vs Spain and alienate Catalonians who want no part of the independence movement. It was a smart ,though unethical, strategy, and seems to be working.
yup. just like Greece. Iceland and Britain had the guts!