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Catalonia Leaders Seek to Make Independence Referendum Binding Catalonia Leaders Seek to Make Independence Referendum Binding
(about 7 hours later)
BARCELONA, Spain — A day after a referendum on independence for Catalonia that was marred by clashes between supporters and police officers, the Spanish region’s leaders were meeting on Monday to determine how to convert the vote into a state free from the rest of the country. BARCELONA, Spain — The leader of Catalonia insisted on Monday that Sunday’s independence referendum, though marred by clashes and rejected by the Spanish government, had earned his region the right to a separate state and that he would press ahead to make the vote binding.
Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader, said late Sunday that Catalans had won the right to have their own state and that he would soon present the result of the referendum to the regional Parliament to make it binding. Without specifying when, Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader, said he would submit the result for approval to the regional Parliament. That could lead to a unilateral declaration of independence and tip the country even deeper into crisis — already one of the worst since the start of Spain’s democracy in the 1970s.
The Catalan government announced that 90 percent of almost 2.3 million voters had voted in favor of independence. But several issues stood in the way of a consensus on the vote: The figures could not be independently verified, the voting registers were based on a census whose validity is contested and — most importantly — Spain’s constitutional court had ordered that the referendum be suspended. Shortly after midnight on Sunday, the Catalan government announced that 90 percent of almost 2.3 million voters had cast ballots in favor of independence. But a consensus on the vote, even among Catalans, was by no means assured, despite Mr. Puigdemont’s stated determination.
Having defied Madrid over the referendum, Mr. Puigdemont’s government risks increasing tensions even further if he proceeds with a declaration of independence. The move could prompt his immediate suspension from office. The referendum’s tallies could not be independently verified; the voting registers used were based on a census whose validity is contested; and, most important, Spain’s constitutional court had ordered that the referendum be suspended.
Rafael Catalá, Spain’s justice minister, warned Monday morning that the central government in Madrid was prepared to use its emergency powers to prevent a unilateral declaration of independence. Under Spanish law, the government can take full administrative control of Catalonia. Rafael Catalá, Spain’s justice minister, warned Monday morning that the central government in Madrid was prepared to use its emergency powers to prevent a unilateral declaration of independence. Under Spanish law, the government could suspend Mr. Puigdemont from office, and take full administrative control of Catalonia.
“If somebody tries to declare the independence of part of the territory — something that cannot be done — we will have to do everything possible to apply the law,” Mr. Catalá said on national television on Monday. Most polling stations stayed open on Sunday, he said, “because the security forces decided that it wasn’t worth using force because of the consequences that it could have.” “If somebody tries to declare the independence of part of the territory — something that cannot be done — we will have to do everything possible to apply the law,” Mr. Catalá said on national television on Monday.
Catalan separatists face several major hurdles to having the vote recognized as legitimate, but simply holding the referendum amounted to a victory of sorts. It helped them shift the debate from the issue of independence — which has split Catalans, and for which there had not been majority backing — to the argument over whether voters had a right to decide on statehood. Most polling stations stayed open on Sunday, he said, “because the security forces decided that it wasn’t worth using force because of the consequences that it could have.”
In the short term, the police crackdown could help Catalan separatists, who are part of a fragile coalition in the regional government, broaden their support. On Sunday, Ada Colau, the influential leftist mayor of Barcelona who has been ambivalent about independence, called on Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign, describing his decision to bring in police officers from around the country as an act of cowardice. In fact, hundreds of Catalans were injured as Spanish police forces moved in to block the vote.
“Today, Catalan society isn’t discussing whether the result is valid or not, but is in a state of shock about how the voting took place,” Ernest Urtasun, a leftist Catalan politician, said on Spanish television on Monday. Mr. Puigdemont also called on the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, to “encourage international mediation,” though it has made clear that it considers the dispute internal to Spain.
Mr. Puigdemont is committed to declaring independence, but he is also pressuring the international community to mediate in the conflict and to condemn the Madrid-ordered police clampdown. Catalan separatists face several major hurdles to having the vote recognized as legitimate, in Spain and abroad, though for them, simply holding the referendum amounted to a victory of sorts. If nothing else, it has helped shift the debate from the issue of independence — which has split Catalans, and for which there had not been majority backing — to the more basic question of whether Catalans have a right to decide on statehood.
“The European Union cannot now continue to look the other side,” Mr. Puigdemont said around midnight Sunday, although the European bloc has shown no sign so far that it was willing to support the separatist movement. In the short term, the police crackdown on the independence movement could help Catalan separatists, who are part of a fragile coalition in the regional government, broaden their support.
In a statement, the European Commission — the executive arm of the bloc — called for “unity and stability,” but it showed no sign that it would reverse its position and intervene on behalf of supporters of independence. On Sunday, Ada Colau, the influential leftist mayor of Barcelona who has been ambivalent about independence, called on Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign, describing his decision to bring in police officers from around the country as an act of cowardice.
The commission described the dispute as “an internal matter for Spain,” and reiterated its warning that an independent Catalonia would not be part of the European Union. Ernest Urtasun, a leftist Catalan politician, said on Spanish television on Monday that “today, Catalan society isn’t discussing whether the result is valid or not, but is in a state of shock about how the voting took place.”
Juan Ignacio Zoido, the Spanish interior minister, acknowledged on Monday that Catalonia had witnessed “a very sad day,” but he defended the Spanish police and blamed separatist leaders for pushing Catalans “to the brink of a precipice” by encouraging them to vote in an illegal referendum. Mr. Puigdemont called on Madrid to remove its police forces, which Catalans criticized as having overreacted on Sunday, and said that he would open an investigation into their actions.
Mr. Zoido said the police had intervened only to withdraw election-related equipment but had been confronted by major obstacles, including voters forming a human chain to stop police officers from leaving polling stations. The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, issued a statement Monday saying he was “very disturbed” by the violence. “I urge the Spanish authorities to ensure thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all acts of violence,” he said.
“The resistance was passive in some cases, but also active in others,” he told the Spanish broadcaster Antena 3. Clashes, he said, mostly started after police officers were stranded inside polling stations, from which they “had to get out in order not to get caught in a more serious situation.” Any use of rubber bullets was “to avoid something even worse,” he said. Juan Ignacio Zoido, the Spanish interior minister, acknowledged on Monday that Catalonia had witnessed “a very sad day,” but he defended the Spanish police and blamed separatist leaders. He said they had pushed Catalans “to the brink of a precipice” by encouraging them to vote in an illegal referendum.
Mr. Zoido said the police had intervened only to withdraw election-related equipment, but had been confronted by major obstacles, including voters forming a human chain to stop police officers from leaving polling stations.
“The resistance was passive in some cases, but also active in others,” he told the Spanish broadcaster Antena 3. The clashes, he said, mostly started after police officers were stranded inside polling stations.
The police used rubber bullets, he said, “to avoid something even worse.”
That version of events, however, was firmly rejected by Catalan leaders, who accused Mr. Rajoy of returning Spain to authoritarianism.That version of events, however, was firmly rejected by Catalan leaders, who accused Mr. Rajoy of returning Spain to authoritarianism.
The vote also set off a debate in Madrid over the loyalty of security forces, after the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s autonomous police force, failed to follow Madrid’s orders and close down polling stations early Sunday. The vote also set off a debate in Madrid over the loyalty of security forces, after the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s autonomous police force, failed to follow Madrid’s orders and close down polling stations early Sunday. Catalan television stations later showed some Mossos and Catalan firefighters confronting the national police as tensions mounted at polling stations.
Catalan television stations later showed some Mossos and Catalan firefighters confronting the national police as tensions mounted at polling stations.
Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Podemos, Spain’s far-left party, said the country was “in a state of crisis,” showcased by the images that were broadcast around the world on Sunday of “policemen who scuffle with firemen and in some cases even with other security forces.”Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Podemos, Spain’s far-left party, said the country was “in a state of crisis,” showcased by the images that were broadcast around the world on Sunday of “policemen who scuffle with firemen and in some cases even with other security forces.”
Albert Rivera, the leader of Ciudadanos, a party fiercely opposed to secessionism, called on Monday for Mr. Puigdemont “to stop this folly” and abandon his plans to declare independence. Otherwise, he said, Mr. Rajoy’s government would have no alternative than to take full charge of Catalonia.Albert Rivera, the leader of Ciudadanos, a party fiercely opposed to secessionism, called on Monday for Mr. Puigdemont “to stop this folly” and abandon his plans to declare independence. Otherwise, he said, Mr. Rajoy’s government would have no alternative than to take full charge of Catalonia.
“A lot of people are forgetting that most Catalans don’t support this” independence project, Mr. Rivera told the broadcaster Telecinco. “I don’t want them to destroy the Constitution, and I want to be Catalan, Spanish and European.” “A lot of people are forgetting that most Catalans don’t support this” independence movement, Mr. Rivera told the broadcaster Telecinco. “I don’t want them to destroy the Constitution, and I want to be Catalan, Spanish and European.”
In addition to facing an insurgency in Catalonia, Mr. Rajoy’s political survival in Madrid is on the line. He was scheduled to meet on Monday with Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the main opposition party, the Socialists. As he faces insurgency in Catalonia, Mr. Rajoy’s political survival in Madrid is on the line. He was scheduled to meet later on Monday with Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the main opposition party, the Socialists.
Mr. Sánchez was critical Sunday night of both Mr. Rajoy and Mr. Puigdemont for provoking “an image that shames us,” but he put the blame more firmly on Mr. Puigdemont for ignoring Spanish law and threatening the “territorial integrity of Spain.”Mr. Sánchez was critical Sunday night of both Mr. Rajoy and Mr. Puigdemont for provoking “an image that shames us,” but he put the blame more firmly on Mr. Puigdemont for ignoring Spanish law and threatening the “territorial integrity of Spain.”