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Catalonia declares independence from Spain ... civil war looming?

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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This will be interesting to watch.

It could have massive ramifications not just for Spain but for all of the European Union.

Spain is a soft socialist nation with lots of 'social welfare' for its citizens. Spain is also, by US/Canadian standards very poor. It would rank as the poorest state in the US, well below Mississippi, for living standards. In fact it would rank below Puerto Rico for living standards. So we are talking poor people, poor economy.

Catalonia is in the eastern part of Spain, it has its own language, it's own culture. It is also the wealthiest area of Spain so money taxed from Catalonians goes to support the social welfare programs in the poorer areas of Spain. It should be noted that Catlonian's favor social welfare and soft socialism, but they are not thrilled with their tax dollars going to other areas (hypocrisy much?).

Spain had previously sent in the national police to prevent a vote in favor of Catalonia leaving Spain. And the police reacted with violence against what seemed to be mostly peaceful residents.

  • So will Spain send in the military?
  • Will the EU support a military suppression of Catalonia?
  • Will Catalonia fight back or simply succumb?
  • Will another dozen 'states' around the EU that wish to break away from their current nations follow the lead of the Catalans?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...-could-remove-catalan/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_fb_tmg

Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain

James Badcock, madrid James Rothwell
27 OCTOBER 2017 • 2:33PM

The Catalan parliament has declared independence from Spain in a dramatic vote which risks plunging the country into further political turmoil.

The vote in parliament was a secret ballot and lawmakers were called up one by one to place their paper vote in a transparent ballot box.

Opposition lawmakers had walked out of the chamber ahead of Friday's vote in protest. Secessionists hold a slim majority in the parliament.

The vote came as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asked the senate to approve Spanish government’s request for “exceptional measures” to impose direct rule on Catalonia following its referendum on independence.

Minutes after the vote in Barcelona, Mr Rajoy appealed for calm and vowed to restore legal order to the devolved region.

Meanwhile, thousands of pro-independence acitvisits cheered in Barcelona as the Catalan parliament result was announced.

The European Commission, which is under intense pressure to step into the row between Catalonia and Spain as undermines EU unity, declined to comment.

How will the Spanish government react?

“Exceptional measures should only be adopted when there is no other possible remedy,” Mr Rajoy said on Friday morning, adding that “no government of any country could look the other way” while its democratic rule of law was being violated.

With Mr Rajoy’s Popular Party having a majority in the chamber, the senate will approve the first-ever application of Article 155 of the Spanish constitution on Friday afternoon, meaning the government of Catalan President Carles Puigdemont could be removed from power on Saturday.

The ruling Catalan coalition Junts pel Si (Together for Yes) and their allies of the far-left CUP party have submitted a proposal to the parliament that would "establish the Catalan Republic as an independent and sovereign state of democratic and social rule of law."

Mr Puigdemont declared that Catalonia had a mandate to secede from Spain on October 10, but the parliament did not vote on a formal proclamation.

Madrid moves to suspend Catalan government Madrid moves to suspend Catalan government

What will happen to the Catalan leader?

Spain’s public prosecutor had previously threatened that charges of treason would be prepared against Mr Puigdemont and his government if independence were declared.

The Spanish government has said that the “first measure” it will apply under the special powers of Article 155 will be to take direct control of Catalonia’s security forces.

This could be crucial in the event that force is required to make direct rule effective, especially if tens of thousands of pro-independence supporters take to the streets.

Spain’s opposition socialist party (PSOE) is not giving up hope on an eleventh-hour way out of the confrontation.


Carmen Calvo, a former minister and the party’s chief negotiator with the Rajoy government on the terms of Article 155, said “Puigdemont can still call elections within the law”.

Mr Puigdemont was expected to call snap elections on Thursday, but finally decided that he lacked “guarantees” that would allow a ballot to be held without repression from Spain’s authorities.

The ruling Popular Party does not need the votes of socialist senators to trigger the application of Article 155, but Mr Rajoy has been at pains to seek broad support. PSOE negotiated the terms of the social powers being invoked, but then said that snap elections should mean a stay on direct rule being imposed.


The centrist Ciudadanos, which leads opposition to Catalan nationalism in the region’s parliament, has pledged its support to the government.

The Left-wing Podemos, the only national party to support a legal referendum in Catalonia, opposes both the imposition of Article 155 and any unilateral declaration of independence.

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said on Thursday that “elections in Catalonia will not resolve the problem, but they will make it more difficult to apply [Article] 155 and provide more time to seek dialogue”.
 

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