Eva Rodríguez
Catalan independentist have once again raised the issue of a referendum. This time, Esquerra Republicana's candidate for president, Pere Aragonès, has presented a report by the Institute for Self-Government Studies that explores this possibility. The question asked in the referendum would be: "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state?
The President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, and his Vice-President, Laura Vilagrà, on their arrival at the weekly meeting of the Government. Source: EFE/Enric Fontcuberta
This Tuesday, the report by the Institute for Self-Government Studies was presented. It explores the possibility of a vote for independence within the framework of the current Spanish Constitution. This institute was created as a council by the Catalan government to explore ways and consequences of a possible independence of Catalonia.
It would be based on Article 92 of the Constitution, which states that political decisions of special importance may be submitted to a consecutive referendum of all citizens. The article states that it would be called by the King, through a proposal by the President of the Government previously authorised by the Congress of Deputies.
The report also includes two other avenues, but these would imply reforms, which are not recommended by the Venice Commission. One of them is the delegation of authorising referendums to regional functions, a route already tried by pro-independence supporters in 2014. The other consists of amending the Organic Law on the Regulation of Different Referendum Modalities (2/1980).
Aragonès expressed that the possibility was viable and that it is only a question of political will, alluding to the amnesty, which was initially rejected by the Socialist Party. Both the Popular Party and the Socialist Party have rejected the idea. Feijoo's party has denounced the manoeuvre before the Electoral Board, and the Socialists have rejected the idea every time it has been raised or mentioned.
The Govern has been preparing the so-called Acuerdo de Claridad, which constituted a guide on how to approach a possible referendum. The report was part of this guide. This was to be taken to a negotiating table with the Spanish government, in which they also planned to address an alternative financing model for Catalonia.
On 27 March, the president proposed a new financing system, one similar to that of the Basque Country and Navarre. This would consist of the territory collecting taxes first, independently of the rest of the country, and then administering a smaller amount of the revenue to the rest of Spain.
Aragonès, who is in the running to repeat as president after he called elections last 13th of March after failing to pass the budget. Esquerra Republicana blame Catalunya en Comú, because of their refusal to support the construction of a Hard Rock macro-complex. This has created tension in the government due to the decision of the comuns, who belong to Sumar. Sanchez has decided to postpone the approval of the budget because of the Catalan elections, a decision that Sumar has not supported. Sanchez's supporters believe that Yolanda Díaz, leader of Sumar, should have encouraged the Comuns to pass the budget. These differences are creating tensions within the government, at the same time that they are being pressured both by the catalan independentists and the oposition.
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