Catalonia conflict: Criticism of the Spanish government’s coercive measures

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticizes the Spanish government for suspending Catalonia’s status of autonomy. “For the Catalans, the Basques, Galicians, Andalusians, and other nationalities, it is a bad sign that the Spanish government doesn’t seem to take autonomy concepts seriously – instead relying on a strong central state, similar to the era of dictator Franco. “Prime Minister Marino Rajoy’s decision is an affront for Spain’s nationalities. He has done a lot of damage,” said Ulrich Delius, the director of the STP, in Göttingen on Sunday. “Rajoy’s tactics of pressure and coercion are highly dangerous, and not very promising. This will substantiate the Catalan people’s impression that they are being suppressed by the Spanish authorities,” said Delius. On Saturday, the Spanish government decided to suspend Catalonia’s autonomy status and to hold new elections in the region.

“The more political and economic pressure the government in Madrid is willing to put on Catalonia’s independence movement, the less likely the elections in Catalonia will lead to a change in the political landscape,” Delius warned. With its political course, the Spanish government is creating the impression that it rejects any form of autonomy – and that it is just waiting for an opportunity to accumulate more power and authority. “The Catalans have not forgotten that, during the past years, Rajoy had blocked all initiatives for a reform of the existing autonomy status. Catalonia’s call for more autonomy has a lot to do with this irresponsible policy.”

Both Rajoy and the Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont are currently struggling to stay in power, as they are both leading minority governments. “It is fatal that the refusal to enter a dialogue and an initiative to work out a political solution to the conflict is leading Spain and the regional policy
of the European Union into a deep crisis. Europe’s leading politicians tried to find an easy way out by unconditionally backing the Spanish government – but they lost credibility among the Catalans. This is not what conflict prevention is about. Unfortunately, Europe has failed to use the opportunity to act responsibly and to prevent a further escalation of the conflict through mediation,” Delius stated.

Header Photo: La Moncloa - Gobierno via Flickr