Junts pel Sí and the CUP agree to start the independence process

The Junts pel Sí and CUP parliamentary groups have lodged a proposal for a declaration intended as the framework to start legislature of transition towards the proclamation of the Catalan Republic. The text is open to changes and can be adhered to by other political groups of the parliament, and will be voted in a plenary session before the investiture of the parliament, which is planned for 9 November. Therefore the session to approve the declaration would be held at the end of this week or the beginning of the next.

Junts pel Sí and the CUP say that the mandate obtained in the polls on 27 September obliges them to work towards an independent state in the form of a Catalan Republic and that the steps for separating from the Spanish state ‘must be firm and not subject to the political or legal institutions of the Spanish state’.  They also highlight in the declaration that this ‘political horizon’ has to be opened up to all of the political and social forces that defend the start of a citizens’, participative and open constituting process.

Here is the whole text of the proposed resolution:

“Jordi Turull i Negre and Marta Rovira i Vergés, as president and spokesperson for JUNTS PEL SÍ Parliamentary Group, and Antonio Baños Boncompain and Anna Gabriel i Sabaté, as president and spokesperson for the CANDIDATURA D’UNITAT POPULAR Parliamentary Group, as established in articles 164 and 165 of the Parliament Regulation, present the following proposed resolution to be substantiated before the Parliamentary Plenary by the process of urgency.  To these effects, at the same time we ask for the Meeting of Spokespersons to be held urgently.

According to the democratic mandate obtained on 27 September, the parliamentary groups here signing present this proposed resolution.

Proposed resolution

The Parliament of Catalonia:

ONE. Hereby notes that the democratic mandate obtained in the past elections on 27 September 2015 is based on a majority of seats of the parliamentary forces so that Catalonia might become an independent state and with a large sovereigntist majority in votes and seats, which leans towards the start of an unsubordinated constituting process.

TWO. Solemnly declares the beginning of the process to create an independent Catalan state in the form of a republic.

THREE. Proclaims the start of the citizens’, participative, open, integrating and active constituting process in order to lay the bases for the future Catalan constitution.

FOUR. Calls upon the future government to take all necessary measures to make these declarations effective.

FIVE. Considers it pertinent within a maximum time of thirty days to start to process the laws of the constituting process, of social security and the public tax office.

SIX. As the depository of the sovereignty and expression of the constituting power, it reiterates that this Parliament and the process of democratic separation will not be subject to the decisions of the institutions of the Spanish state, and particularly of the Constitutional Court, which it considers to be delegitimised and without competence following the sentence of June 2010 regarding the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia previously voted by the people in a referendum, amongst others.

SEVEN. Will take all necessary measures to start this process of democratic, massive, sustained and peaceful separation from the Spanish state in such a way as to allow the empowerment of the citizens on all levels and based on open, active and integrating participation.

EIGHT. Calls on the future government to fulfil only those rules or mandates arising from this legitimate and democratic chamber, in order to strengthen the fundamental rights which might be affected by the decisions of the institutions of the Spanish state.

NINE. Declares the will to start negotiations in order to make effective the democratic mandate of creation of an independent Catalan state in the form of a republic, and hereby to inform the Spanish state, the European Union and the whole of the international community thereof.”

Rajoy threatens the Parliament

The Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has threatened to use ‘all legal and juridical mechanisms’ with the Parliament of Catalonia if it goes ahead with the declaration to start the independence process as the independentist parties have agreed. ‘We will not waive any juridical and political mechanism with which the constitution and the laws provide us’, said Rajoy.