Once more the issue of Catalan independence has been planted squarely in the lap of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, following Thursday’s regional assembly elections. Voters in the restive province that has held two illegal referendums on independence over the past three years gave a combination of three pro-secessionist parties a total of 70 seats in the new regional parliament, above the 68 needed for an overall majority in the 135-seat chamber.
The elections had been called by the Spanish government after Rajoy invoked Article 155 of the nation’s constitution, allowing the central government to dissolve the previous regional assembly and rule the province of seven million directly. Rajoy’s government also pursued sedition and rebellion charges against the organisers of the October 1 referendum in which more than 90 per cent of the 2.4 million Catalans voted for independence.
Thursday’s election is a stunning rebuke of Rajoy, his government and the way it tried to suppress the referendum. Leading up to that vote, which had been declared illegal by both Spain’s Constitutional Court and the Catalan High Court, the Madrid government seized 10 million ballot papers, cut off internet and communications to pro-independence parties and websites, and jailed organisers of the vote. It also threatened hefty fines on anyone who helped with the organisation of the polls. Madrid also sent in 13,000 federal Guardia Civil officers into Catalonia, and the October 1 vote was marred by ugly scenes as these officers physically assaulted and dragged voters from polling booths.
The result of that illegal referendum, which was mostly boycotted by pro-Spanish voters, was used by regional president Carles Puigdemont as a mandate to declare Catalonia’s independence some three weeks later. That declaration forced Rajoy to invoke Article 155 and call Thursday’s fresh elections.
Puigdemont’s party is now the second-largest in the new assembly, coming in two seats behind the 36 won by pro-Madrid Cuididanos — a party that had campaigned for a much stronger response by Madrid on the secessionists. Puigdemont fought the election from self-imposed political exile in Belgium.
These past three months have been unlike any other in Spain’s post-Civil War political history and represent a serious challenge now for Rajoy and his government. It would be unwise to again dissolve the legislature and re-impose direct rule. The only way forward now is dialogue and more powers for the region.
