Parliament proclaims The Republic

The Parliament of Catalonia approved yesterday, by accepting the mandate expressed by the people of Catalonia on October 1, to apply the precepts of the Law of Transition and begin a constitutional process. That is to say, the proclamation of the the Catalan Republic and initiating the steps to bring that to fruition. At the same time, the Spanish Senate approved the application of the full force of Article 155 whereby Spain’s cabinet resolved to decree the dismissal of the Government of Catalonia, along with other measures aiming, from the perspective of the State, to restore constitutional legality in practice by means the curtailing Catalonia’s self-government. In tandem, charges of rebellion will be laid against the government and part of the House Committee, which could be extended to MPs. We are therefore faced with a clash of legitimacy and a transition which will entail the defence of the proclamation by Parliament, whose legitimacy emanates from the election result of 2015.

We face difficult days in which controlling the streets and the economy will be the key to the future of the new Republic. The EU and most of its member states, along with the US, have aligned themselves with the Spanish government and demand a return to legality, but also ask for dialogue tempered with a warning, as the President of the European Council calls for the force of argument, not the argument of force. On the streets, the birth of the Republic has been welcomed with enthusiasm, but also with a burden of responsibility and concern. The defence of our institutions is crucial and must be carried out with the wisdom and the peaceful determination shown so far in the process of building the new country, establishing bridges of dialogue to normalise the situation and keep the country in the bounds of peace, civility and dignity.