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Court puts halt to Catalan independence bid to hear central government appeal
Court halts Catalonia independence bid to hear central government appeal
(35 minutes later)
Spain’s constitutional court has suspended a Catalan law that set out a roadmap to independence, halting the region’s secession drive just two days after it was formally launched.
Spain’s constitutional court has suspended a Catalan law setting out a roadmap to independence, halting the region’s secession drive two days after it was formally launched.
In a special meeting on Wednesday, the court unanimously agreed to hear the central government’s challenge to the Catalan legislation. The decision means the Catalan motion will be suspended for up to five months while judges hear arguments and reach a decision.
In a special meeting on Wednesday, the court unanimously agreed to hear the central government’s challenge, filed hours earlier. The decision means the Catalan legislation will be suspended for up to five months while judges hear arguments and reach a decision.
The court announced the suspension hours after the central government said it had filed the legal challenge against the Catalan legislation, which Spain’s prime minister described as an affront to democracy.
Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, described the Catalan legislation as an affront to democracy. He said of the government’s challenge: “It’s not just a reaction to a motion passed in parliament, this is about defending a whole country.”
“It’s not just a reaction to a motion passed in parliament, this is about defending a whole country,” the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, said on Wednesday.
He cited Spain’s constitution, which impedes regions from unilaterally making decisions that affect all Spaniards, to back his view. “This is a blatant disregard for the state’s institutions. They are trying to do away with democracy. I will not allow it,” he said.
He pointed to the country’s constitution, which impedes regions from unilaterally making decisions that affect all Spaniards, to back his view. “This is a blatant disregard for the state’s institutions. They are trying to do away with democracy. I will not allow it.”
The Catalan legislation calls for further laws to be drawn up to facilitate the creation of an independent social security system and tax authority within the next 30 days. In anticipation that it would be blocked by Spanish courts, the legislation specifies that the regional parliament will no longer be bound to decisions made by institutions of the Spanish state, in particular the constitutional court.
The constitutional court is expected to agree to hear the appeal, which would automatically suspend the Catalan motion while judges hear arguments and reach a decision.
The appeal filed by Rajoy’s conservative People’s party government retaliates with a request aimed at quelling defiance among Catalan leaders. The legal challenge singles out 21 high-ranking Catalan officials, from the acting leader, Artur Mas, to the house speaker, Carme Forcadell, and asks the court to warn them of the consequences of disregarding its orders.
The Catalan legislation calls for further laws to facilitate the creation of an independent social security system and tax authority within the next 30 days. In anticipation that it would be blocked by Spanish courts, the legislation also specifies that the regional parliament will no longer be bound to decisions made by institutions of the Spanish state, in particular the constitutional court.
Earlier this year the central government passed legislation outlining steep sanctions and suspensions for leaders who fail to comply with the orders of the constitutional court.
The appeal filed by Rajoy’s conservative People’s party government retaliates with a request aimed at quelling defiance among Catalan leaders. The legal challenge singled out 21 high-ranking Catalan officials, from acting leader, Artur Mas, to house speaker, Carme Forcadell, and asked the court to warn them of the consequences of disregarding its orders.
After several stymied attempts to hold a formal referendum on independence, Catalan leaders have raised the stakes in recent months. In September, separatists sought to turn regional elections into a de facto referendum on independence. he parties committed to outright independence garnered 48% of the vote, falling short of the 50% threshold that would have been required in a referendum.
Earlier this year, the central government passed legislation outlining steep sanctions and suspensions for leaders who fail to comply with the orders of the constitutional court.
On Wednesday Rajoy sought to highlight what he saw as a hijacking of democracy by a minority. “We’re defending the rights of all citizens, particularly the rights of citizens in Catalonia,” he said. “They are trying to eliminate national sovereignty, to take away from Spaniards and many in Catalonia the right to decide what the country is, that does not happen in any country in the world and less so in the 21st century.”
After several stymied attempts to hold a formal referendum on independence, Catalan leaders have raised the stakes in recent months. In September, separatists sought to turn regional elections into a de facto referendum on independence. While the parties committed to outright independence garnered some 48% of the vote, they fell short of the 50% threshold that would have been required in a referendum to advance their agenda.
Since the election in September, Catalan separatists have struggled to form a government. The nationalist coalition Together for Yes won 62 seats in the 135-seat parliament and the far-left pro-independence Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) won 10 seats, paving the way for a potential alliance to form a majority.
On Wednesday, Rajoy sought to highlight what he saw as a hijacking of democracy by a minority. “We’re defending the rights of all citizens, particularly the rights of citizens in Catalonia,” he said. “They are trying to eliminate national sovereignty, to take away from Spaniards and many in Catalonia the right to decide what the country is, that does not happen in any country in the world and less so in the 21st century,” said Rajoy.
But CUP has steadfastly refused to support Mas as leader, pointing to austerity measures implemented by his centre-right government and a string of corruption scandals plaguing his Democratic Convergence party. On Tuesday, Mas failed to reach the necessary number of votes to be named as leader. The next vote is expected to be held on Thursday. The regional parliament has until 9 January to form a government or new elections must be called.
Since the election in September, Catalan separatists have struggled to form a government. The nationalist coalition Junts pel Sí (Together for Yes) won 62 seats in the 135-seat parliament, while far-left pro-independence Popular Unity Candidacy, known as CUP, won 10 seats, paving the way for a potential alliance that could see an openly secessionist government take the helm of one of Spain’s wealthiest regions.
But CUP has steadfastly refused to support Mas as leader, pointing to austerity measures implemented by his centre-right government and the string of corruption scandals plaguing his Democratic Convergence party.
On Tuesday, Mas failed to reach the necessary number of votes to be named as leader. The next vote is expected to be held on Thursday. The regional parliament has until 9 of January to form a government, or new elections must be called.
