Spanish Political News

[Pickman's model]

The rhetoric of Catalan politicians when I lived there. "Good Catalans speak Catalan" was something i heard bandied around. Didn't a Barcelona mayor say that some time ago? Newcomers to Catalonia offered free Catalan classes by the Generalitat, but not free Spanish classes despite the fact that immigrants overwhelmingly want the latter. Criticism of those who referred to "Spain" and not "The Spanish state".

On another note, i found Catalan nationalism to be pretty middle class. It would be interesting to see the class breakdown of independence support, and maybe someone on here can point in the right direction.

The most working-class area I can think of in Barcelon is L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. It was strongly anti-independence, whereas funky bohemian Gracia was the opposite. I've got a feeling that there is a class divide that still exists now.

Super-rich - Pro-Spain.
Lower middle class and middle class - Pro-independence
Working class and immigrants from Africa/South America - Pro-Spain.

Age demographics will blur this, but I think that would be broadly true. What are other posters thoughts on this?

When I was in Barcelona on 11/9 a few years back seemed a weird split between m/c nationalists including masonick types, and lefty anti-fascists

 

[Sue]

We will help the Catalans overwhelm their Castillian foe with lurve.

...and Irish music by the sounds of it...

 

[tim]

So, no snap election and no UDI....hmmm

He's frit!

 

[Tankus]

Porridge beckons

 

[cupid_stunt]

It's all such a fucking mess, and I fear it's going to get worst.

 

[tim]

It was probably the threat of LiamO arriving with his tambourine what pushed him over the edge.

It wouldn't be the first time those Orangemen have done that.

 

[cupid_stunt]

It wouldn't be the first time those Orangemen have done that.

LiamO is a orangeman?

Yeah, I know it's not, just thinking about that cracks me up TBH.

 

[tim]

LiamO is a orangeman?

Yeah, I know it's not, just thinking about that cracks me up TBH.

He feels naked when he's out without his sash and bowler hat

 

[Anudder Oik]

translation: 155 brings us nearer to the suspension of democracy and opens
a pandoras box of threats against all the regions in the spanish state, with
the support of the EU and its austerity policies.

 

[Anudder Oik]

Not a bad article in the Guardian. Puts many things into context.

Catalonia crisis deepens as region's president rules out snap election

 

[Anudder Oik]

Yesterday, it was all confusion in Catalonia when Puigdemont unexpectedly announced he would dissolve parliament and call elections, thus putting off the declaration of Independence. Politicians from his alliance began to resign immediately and he was called a traitor and people standing outside the parliament, expecting the birth of the republic, even began to cry. Catalan republicans were all in shock.

Then, the government in Madrid, like the thugs they are and despite the call for elections here, brazenly went and bragged that they would still be going ahead with the liquidation of Catalan autonomy. There would be no dialogue. This immediately caused fissures in their alliance with the PSOE and fixed all attention on the legality of the 155 law.

With attention now drawn to Madrid, Puigdemont abandoned the call for elections and said that the Catalan parliament will decide on independence tomorrow (today Friday 27th). As a result, the focus and pressure is now on Madrid and not Catalonia and the politicians there are divided. Puigdemont is no longer the sole figurehead who would have been a target for arrest, now it is the whole parliament, or at least the majority there. Responsibility has been shared out.

Whether this was a stroke of genius or whether this was purely the confusion of a leader trying to save his own skin, we don’t know. What is clear is that the PP has shown its true colors and the debate is now about the legality of the 155 law. Independence may be declared while in Madrid its enemies are squabbling amongst themselves.

 

[Artaxerxes]

It is happening.

 

[weltweit]

 

[Pickman's model]

this will end well

 

[Pickman's model]

He feels naked when he's out without his sash and bowler hat

like the full monty with added paisley

 

[Pickman's model]

this will end well

 

[ska invita]

how many didnt vote/walked out?

 

[weltweit]

Thing is, the reaction of Spain to the illegal referendum will have pushed more people who would have voted no into the yes camp. They couldn't have planned that could they? Anyhow what happens now is anyone's business but I bet Spain moves to suspend the Catalan government on Monday as a first step.

ETA and you can bet the Catalan parliament and their supporters won't go quietly.

 

[Jeremiah18.17]

J Shafi has tweeted that he is on his way to Barcelona to discuss international solidarity from these islands with the CUP - they might need it fairly soon!

 

[Pickman's model]

J Shafi has tweeted that he is on his way to Barcelona to discuss international solidarity from these islands with the CUP - they might need it fairly soon!

j shafi?

 

[Pickman's model]

oh! jonathan shafi

who he?

 

[Pickman's model]

.

 

[weltweit]

And I thought they might wait until Monday!

 

[Pickman's model]

And I thought they might wait until Monday!

yeh disproving the general rule that nothing important ever happens on the friday afternoon

 

[Mr Moose]

J Shafi has tweeted that he is on his way to Barcelona to discuss international solidarity from these islands with the CUP - they might need it fairly soon!

Do you mean the UK? Yes, the go to country for a consensus on leaving things.

 

[J Ed]

Whatever happens next, whatever the rights and wrongs of bourgeois Catalan Nationalism... this is another blow for the neoliberal EU who now has to position itself on the side of the truncheons which are going to batter the women and children standing in the way of Catalan politicians.

 

[cupid_stunt]

how many didnt vote/walked out?

According to wiki there's 135 members.

Only 70 voted for independence, 10 against, 2 empty ballot papers, leaves 53 members AWOL.

 

[planetgeli]

leaves 53 members AWOL.

The opposition boycotted the vote.

 

[shygirl]

What will Catalonian independence (if it happens) mean for w/c/poorer people, given that the nationalists appear to be mainly m/c?

 

[danny la rouge]

oh! jonathan shafi

who he?

Co-founder of the Radical Independence Campaign in Scotland. Left the SWP to form the ISG with others unhappy with SWP direction. The group went into alliance with the SSP to form RISE.