Three Catalan ministers replaced

The Catalan president, Quim Torra, has made three changes in his government on Thursday. The interior minister, Miquel Buch, the culture minister, Mariàngela Vilallonga, and the business minister, Àngels Chacon, will be replaced by Miquel Sàmper, Àngels Ponsa and Ramon Tremosa..

Buch was in the spotlight for the response of the Catalan police to the protests immediately after the verdict of the 2017 referendum leaders was out in October 2019.

Government sources said to ACN that Torra wants to strengthen the cabinet in the event that he is removed from power. The government crisis comes two weeks before the Supreme Court reviews Torra’s disqualification on September 17.

Torra ousted?

Spain’s top court might confirm his conviction in the weeks afterwards, meaning that he will be ousted from power and an automatic snap election will be called if the parliament fails to find a successor – in fact, both government partners, JxCat and ERC, have agreed to leave the presidential post vacant in this event.

Yet, Torra has repeatedly said that he will not allow for the judges to force the election, but he will call it – in a recent interview said he has already decided the date of the vote, but did not reveal it.