Catalan President defends a new self-determination vote

President Quim Torra has hinted that a new referendum might be necessary as a response to the jailing of nine Catalan leaders this week for organising a unilateral vote in 2017. Addressing parliament on Thursday, Torra said that “if they sentence us to 100 years for providing ballot boxes, the response is clear: another self-determination vote.”

Spain’s Supreme Court sentenced the leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison on Monday, for organizing the vote two years ago that led to a declaration of independence. Torra expressed “consternation and indignation” at the verdict, and added that there was no need to be a supporter of independence to consider the sentences an “intolerable disgrace.”

The sentencing of the leaders has unleashed a wave of protests across Catalonia that, in some cases, has seen protestors building barricades in the streets and clashing with police. Torra called for non-violence as the only way that the independence movement can achieve its ultimate goal.

Torra had a message of support for the Catalan police on Thursday, adding that they must be self-critical and “scrupulous” in investigating “any irregular situation.” “We cannot allow the violation of protocols,” added Torra, and the president called for an effort to avoid the criminalization of “legitimate” acts of civil disobedience.

Torra comes under fire

However, there were a number of calls from other parties in the chamber for Torra to step down from his post over his government’s handling of the crisis since the verdict was announced and the protests that have followed.

Lorena Roldán, the head of the main opposition party, the unionist Ciutadans, called Torra “irresponsible” and “unworthy of being president.” She also accused Torra of “setting Barcelona on fire,” in reference to the clashes in the Catalan capital.

Meanwhile, the leader of the also unionist Catalan Socialists, Miquel Iceta, said Torra “can no longer be president,” accusing him of putting “independence before peaceful coexistence,” and adding that his “activism leads you to undermine citizens’ security.”

The head of the unionist PP party, Alejandro Fernandez, hinted at Torra’s involvement in organizing protests, and spoke of “savage attacks on Catalans.” He also called on young Catalans not to let themselves be manipulated by Torra and “irresponsible politicians.”

As for the head of the leftwing CatECP party, Jèssica Albiach, she said: “You can’t send people to occupy the airport and then order charges against them,” going on to remind Torra that “you’re not an activist, you’re the president. If you don’t know that, step down.”

Spain’s authoritarianism

Far-left CUP party MP, Carles Riera, focused on the protests of the past few days, arguing that they “served to show the authoritarianism of the Spanish state” and the “absolute failure” of the government, and he called on people to “persist with the protests.”