One eye turned towards the Senate of Madrid, the other attentive to what is happening in the Parlament de Catalunya. The clash between the central government and the separatists takes place today in the two parallel parliamentary sessions.
That of Madrid is about to approve the application of article 155 proposed by the Council of Ministers, suspending de facto the autonomy of Catalonia. The one in Barcelona, on the other hand, could officially start the constituent process that will lead to the Republic in the next few hours. Two decisions which, of course, cannot coexist with each other. The real risk is that in two days the Catalans will find themselves without a government or with two parallel governments.
It is not yet clear what the precise contours of the commissioner that the Upper House will approve shortly will be, but during his speech this morning Mariano Rajoy was clear: will dismiss the Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, the vice president Oriol Junqueras and all the members of the Govern with the extraordinary powers that are granted to him by the Madrid parliamentarians. New elections will be called in Catalonia within six months.
“The activation of article 155 of the Constitution – stated Rajoy – against Catalonia is an 'exceptional decision' taken in the face of an 'exceptional situation'”.
"There is no alternative" to the suspension of autonomy, explained the Spanish Premier, because it is necessary "to resort to the law to enforce the law". But in the course of his speech to the Senate, Rajoy also points to a culprit: Carles Puigdemont, "he and only he" said the Prime Minister, is responsible for what is happening. A statement that appears to be official support for the accusation of rebellion by the current president of the Catalan Generalitat. The Attorney General of the Spanish state is ready to ask for the indictment of Puigdemont and his deputy Oriol Junqueras for "rebellion" in the event that independence continues today. If convicted, the two could face 30 years in prison.
Article 155, Rajoy underlined, is activated "not against Catalonia, but so that Catalonia is not abused". For the prime minister, "no democratic government could have remained impassive, as if nothing had happened" in the face of the independence challenge. A challenge which, he added, "will never have the support of Europe", as it "goes against the founding principles and values" of the EU.
