AS CATALAN PARLIAMENT MEETS, SOME CALL FOR FUGITIVE EX-LEADER TO RULE BY SKYPE
Catalonia’s
parliament met on Wednesday in a first step toward forming a new government
dominated by the question of whether sacked former leader Carles Puigdemont can
return as president and continue his push for independence from Spain.
Puigdemont’s
supporters have suggested the former journalist could rule the wealthy region
via video link from self-imposed exile in Brussels, to where he fled in October
to avoid arrest for charges including sedition and treason.
The Spanish
government had imposed direct rule on the region, whose economy is bigger than
that of Portugal, after the previous Catalan administration led by Puigdemont
made a unilateral declaration of independence.
However, a regional
election in December returned a slim majority to secessionist parties in terms
of seats.
In a sign of strength for the parties seeking a split from Spain, Catalan lawmakers on Wednesday elected pro-independence politician Roger Torrent as speaker of the regional parliament.
Torrent was the preferred candidate for speaker of the two main pro-independence parties, Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia).
Puigdemont tweeted his congratulations to the new speaker.
Moment en el qual el president @KRLS felicita @rogertorrent just després de ser elegit president del @parlament_cat pic.twitter.com/JVnXZeichq— Junts per Catalunya 🎗 (@JuntsXCat) January 17, 2018
“I am sure you will
exercise the post with nobility and bravery, protecting institutions and the
country,” he said.
The secession
movement has also been weakened by the fact that five members of parliament,
including Puigdemont, are in Brussels while three are in custody for their role
in an illegal independence referendum in October.
Late on Tuesday, the
two main pro-independence parties said they would back Puigdemont as
presidential candidate. A first vote to choose a new leader is likely to take
place on Jan. 31.
Spanish Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy has dismissed the possibility that Puigdemont could rule
by Skype as absurd and the Catalan parliament’s own legal experts have ruled
that any president must be physically present in parliament.
The decision lies in
the hands of the Catalan parliamentary committee which was voted in on
Wednesday with a clear majority for the secessionists with four of seven
members coming from the pro-independence parties.
Rajoy has said he
will contest in the courts any move to allow Puigdemont to return to power.
The seats of absent
lawmakers were marked with giant yellow ribbons on Wednesday. Even if these
lawmakers are unable to vote, the pro-independence parties will still have more
weight in parliament than those favoring unity with Spain.
Pro-independence
supporters gathered outside the parliament on Wednesday waving red and yellow
Catalan flags.
“I know that we are going
to have a lot of problems with the Spanish government, but we are going to do
it,” said demonstrator Dolors Esplugas. “On Jan. 31, Carles Puigdemont is going
to be appointed.”
Uncertainty over the
region’s future has led to thousands of companies, including two of the
country’s top banks, moving their headquarters from Catalonia to elsewhere in
Spain.
News source : Reuters
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