An egotistical and polarising rightwing election loser addresses his adoring supporters in a speech, casting himself as a sufferer and questioning democracy, simply hours earlier than parliament is ready to vote for the formal investiture of the particular winner. The gang maintain aloft footage of the loser’s face, chanting that he’s their rightful president, after which flip their anger on the media, harassing reporters who’re masking the occasion. Chaos ensues as among the chief’s supporters try and assault the parliament constructing. Sound acquainted?
Carles Puigdemont, the fugitive former president of Catalonia and the chief of the Catalan separatist celebration Junts, who fled Spain to keep away from prosecution after organising an illegal independence referendum in 2017, staged a dramatic reappearance on a Barcelona stage on Thursday.
His present ended up being extra of a charade than a coup, nevertheless it had particular Trumpian vibes. The loyal supporters he addressed had been a small group and posed no severe menace to the Catalan parliament, however Puigdemont as soon as once more demonstrated his unwillingness to just accept electoral defeat, his perception that he’s above the legislation and his self-centred want for the highlight.
From his self-imposed exile in Brussels, Puidgemont was defeated in regional elections in Could. Salvador Illa, the mild-mannered chief of the Socialist celebration in Catalonia, emerged the clear winner. Junts had targeted its marketing campaign round Puigdemont, even renaming the celebration after him within the poll, however voters had been unconvinced.
For the primary time in a long time, most Catalan voters supported non-separatist events, according to the decline in help for independence since 2017.
Whereas Puigdemont benefited from an amnesty legislation pushed by way of by Pedro Sánchez to allow the formation of a authorities with the help of pro-independence events, the previous Catalan president remains to be needed on costs, which he denies, of embezzlement of public funds. He might have been detained to look in court docket. However the Catalan police, who’ve full authority within the area, seemingly allowed him to carry his rally undisturbed. Puigdemont then vanished once more as an alternative of heading to vote in parliament, as he had claimed he would. Two officers had been later arrested on suspicion that they assisted Puigdemont’s flight.
After hours wherein police carried out a manhunt and town was locked down, memes and parody movies flooded social media, and satire acquired into information experiences. “Could Carles Puigdemont smuggle himself into the Catalan parliament dressed as a lion? Probably not, but police in Barcelona are taking no chances,” Aitor Hernández-Morales wrote in Politico concerning the resolution to lock down town zoo. Amid rumours that Puigdemont had escaped in a automotive, police encircled town, organising roadblocks to look automotive boots. Whereas his lawyer bragged about how the evasion of arrest had gone to plan “perfectly”, some on X in contrast Puigdemont to Lupin, the fictional French gentleman thief who all the time offers police the slip.
It was a day that underscored how deeply Catalans determine political discontent because the the most important drawback in public life. This was the discovering of a July survey by the Catalan authorities’s polling institute. As much as 70% of residents are involved about how democracy works, and most consider politicians ought to prioritise socioeconomic points and the local weather disaster over independence. They suppose the brand new authorities ought to deal with lowering poverty and inequality, boosting financial development, defending legislation and order, and combating in opposition to the local weather emergency and the continuing drought. Reviewing Catalonia’s relationship with the remainder of Spain ranks solely fifth in significance. The identical ballot reveals Puigdemont as an unpopular chief, trailing behind Illa, the brand new Catalan president, and the outgoing president, Pere Aragonès.
Puigdemont’s political future seems unpromising, and it could take time for his celebration to return to energy. However his influence on eroding belief in politicians and establishments might outlast his private ambitions. The Sánchez authorities is already paying a value for securing Junts’ help by making concessions to an unreliable companion that just lately aligned with the nationwide far proper on migration and different points.
Puigdemont has made it clear that he has by no means cared concerning the stability of Spain’s centre-left authorities, however he additionally appears intent on stopping any such stability in Catalonia. His foremost goal is ERC, the separatist celebration on the left that has helped Illa safe a majority within the Catalan parliament and be elected president. Puigdemont’s behaviour could also be seen as verging on comedy, nevertheless it has the potential to gasoline the rise of extremists inside and outdoors Catalonia.
after publication promotion
Illa, a welcome exception in a Spanish public sphere usually pushed by insults and animosity, delivered a speech in parliament that targeted on on a regular basis considerations for Catalans. He spoke about housing, drought and trains. To please his allies, he additionally advocated for the swift implementation of the amnesty legislation and supported a federal Spain. “Catalonia must look forward, can’t lose time, and must include everyone,” he stated.
Illa’s election might sign a brand new political period. The street forward will probably be paved along with his good intentions, but in addition with the specter of a vocal, xenophobic minority nonetheless led by Puigdemont, out of energy and out of contact, however nonetheless anticipating one last curtain name.
