MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Catalonia and Madrid double the stakes and move into unchartered waters
Spain's Senate on Friday authorized the government to apply constitutional measures to take control of the government of Catalonia. A majority of senators gave Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy the go-ahead through Article 155 of the constitution to apply unprecedented measures, including sacking Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont and his cabinet. It also authorized him to curtail Catalan parliamentary powers. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesIt would appear that Spain is still living in the 1930s and civil strife looks inevitable. It also seems that there is considerable opposition in Catalunya to this decision amongst the people but the politicians have gone ahead and defied the will of the majority of the pueblo.
Oct 27th, 2017 - 07:23 pm - Link - Report abuse +1I consider Spain as my second home - I pray that this situation is resolved in a peaceful way and that Catalunya remains part of the Kingdom of Spain.
It's a shame it's come to this. Neither the Catalunyan's, nor the Spanish Govt. have distinguished themselves with their negotiating skills. Their is so much at stake here you'd think they'd realise that patience is the only reasonable approach. The EU is supporting Madrid - they can ill afford any more instability - as are France and Germany. Unsurprisingly. The Scots are supporting Barcelona. Equally unsurprisingly. The stock market is...volatile.
Oct 27th, 2017 - 08:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I guess the Spanish govt. is banking on fear and division to resolve the situation, a negative approach that fails to acknowledge the depth of feeling; the authenticity of Catalunyan culture, as distinct from the rest of Spain, and just how much resentment this approach will inevitably generate.
I would qualify your statement about the Scots supporting Barcelona.
Oct 28th, 2017 - 09:32 am - Link - Report abuse +2The SNP are but they are not the Scots....a mistake that the English keep on broadcasting .
I have no valued opinion on the matter of Catalunyan independence except that the matter has been badly handled on both sides.
If the heat is not taken out of the problem, it could end up like N.Ireland.
The Spanish government should hold a proper referendum like was held in Scotland and hopefully the will of the majority will become clear. No need for violence or intimidation.
Oct 28th, 2017 - 09:51 am - Link - Report abuse +2@The Voice
Oct 28th, 2017 - 03:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“The Spanish government should hold a proper referendum”
That will defuse the whole issue, as it is probable that a narrow vote for staying in Spain will result.
Denying a referendum and dealing with people in an authoritarian way, is going to cause Spain a lot of headaches. Once civil disobedience sets in, then things will escalate.
Puigdemont knows this, like a fisherman casting out a rod and waiting for the fish to take the bait, and Rajoy is too stupid to see that.
This is how Spain dealt with its colonies and how it lost them. The acorn hasn't rolled far from the tree.
I bet Spain won't be quite so keen to hammer Gibraltar with illegal incursions into its waters at the moment.
Clyde15:I acknowledge the distinction.
Oct 29th, 2017 - 06:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0I agree with the comments regarding a referendum - an official one might have prevented the current brinkmanship on both sides.
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