Catalonia's regional parliament has passed a non-binding motion voicing its concerns against the monarchy after Spain's former king Juan Carlos disappeared amid various scandals.

The three separatists parties have denied to recognize&nbsp;King Felipe VI, the serving monarch as a leader. The parties&nbsp;voted in favor of the motion which criticises&nbsp;the decision of Juan Carlos to go into exile without any discussions, especially amid controversies.

The representatives passed a proposal of&nbsp;“Catalonia is a republic and does not want a king” by 69 votes in favor and 65 against.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spains-ex-king-juan-carlos-is-in-abu-dhabi-media-reports-318844">Also read|&nbsp;Spain's ex-king Juan Carlos is in Abu Dhabi: Media reports</a>

“Neither Spaniards nor Catalans deserve such a loud and ridiculous scandal on an international scale,” Catalan leader Quim Torra told the regional parliament in a special session that he called to discuss the monarchy.

the 82-year-old left the country few days ago to an undisclosed location, and since then the Spanish and international media has been guessing his location — some of which have been&nbsp;Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Abu Dhabi. The only confirmed thing till now is that the ex-Spanish monarch left the country on a private jet on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spains-former-king-juan-carlos-flees-the-country-318186">Also read|&nbsp;Spain's former king Juan Carlos flees the country</a>

“We Catalans do not have a king and we do not want one,” Torra said. “What authority will we have to enforce the rules against corruption if we accept a royal family that escapes when they are investigated after taking millions and millions of euros in terrible business commissions?”

Catalans have been looking for an opportunity to establish Catalonia Republic, and this has provided them with one of the best times to voice their opinion.&nbsp;

Juan Carlos had been under fire in Spain and Switzerland over suspicions surrounding a multi-billion high-speed Saudi train contract won by Spanish firms, all of the allegations that had been declined by Carlos' representative.

Catalonia's regional parliament has passed a non-binding motion voicing its concerns against the monarchy after Spain's former king Juan Carlos disappeared amid various scandals.

Catalonia's regional parliament has passed a non-binding motion voicing its concerns against the monarchy after Spain's former king Juan Carlos disappeared amid various scandals. The three separatists parties have denied to recognize King Felipe VI, the serving monarch as a leader. The parties voted in favor of the motion which criticises the decision of Juan Carlos to go into exile without any discussions, especially amid controversies. The representatives passed a proposal of “Catalonia is a republic and does not want a king” by 69 votes in favor and 65 against. Also read| Spain's ex-king Juan Carlos is in Abu Dhabi: Media reports “Neither Spaniards nor Catalans deserve such a loud and ridiculous scandal on an international scale,” Catalan leader Quim Torra told the regional parliament in a special session that he called to discuss the monarchy. the 82-year-old left the country few days ago to an undisclosed location, and since then the Spanish and international media has been guessing his location — some of which have been Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Abu Dhabi. The only confirmed thing till now is that the ex-Spanish monarch left the country on a private jet on Monday. Also read| Spain's former king Juan Carlos flees the country “We Catalans do not have a king and we do not want one,” Torra said. “What authority will we have to enforce the rules against corruption if we accept a royal family that escapes when they are investigated after taking millions and millions of euros in terrible business commissions?” Catalans have been looking for an opportunity to establish Catalonia Republic, and this has provided them with one of the best times to voice their opinion. Juan Carlos had been under fire in Spain and Switzerland over suspicions surrounding a multi-billion high-speed Saudi train contract won by Spanish firms, all of the allegations that had been declined by Carlos' representative.

Catalan parliament voices opinion against Juan Carlos' exile

By Simon Toubeau and Pere Almeda*

Spain’s new prime minister Pedro Sanchez rose to office against a backdrop of unprecedented drama. But now he could capitalise on the circumstances that landed him the top job to resolve the conflict with Catalonia.

Sanchez successfully ousted his predecessor Mariano Rajoy by passing a motion of no confidence against the Partido Popular government. Seizing on the unique opportunity offered by the sentencing of several prominent PP officials in a long-running corruption trial, the opposition leader moved quickly.

Sanchez needed at least 176 votes but his Socialist party (PSOE) only had 84 seats and Ciudadanos, a centrist-liberal formation with a strong Spanish nationalist rhetoric, wouldn’t endorse a new left-wing government. So, Sanchez needed to muster the support of all other parties in the Spanish parliament. This included the left-wing party Podemos, and several nationalist parties from the Basque country and Catalonia, such as Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC).

At the same time, in Barcelona, Quim Torra – a Catalan nationalist hand-picked by the exiled former president Carles Puigdemont – was elected leader of a new Catalan government. This came after months of protracted negotiations that followed the extraordinary regional elections of December 2017. These were called by the Spanish central government immediately after it suspended the Catalan government for having symbolically issued a unilateral declaration of independence after the referendum held on October 1.

But any hope from Madrid that these elections would quell nationalist fervour backfired. The three parties in favour of Catalan independence (JuntsPerCat, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Candidatura d’Unitat Popular) returned to parliament with a majority (albeit a slim one), determined to pursue their cause, setting them on a collision course with Madrid.

To avert this collision, Sanchez must now make good on the promise he made to his Catalan parliamentary allies to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Catalan government on how to resolve the ongoing conflict. 
The basis of a deal

At the basis of the deal between these parties was the common goal of ousting Rajoy from power. The Catalan parties will offer stability for the Spanish government: support for the continuation of a minority PSOE administration until the end of the legislature in 2020 and support on the party’s economic and social policies.

In exchange, the PSOE will need to make progress dealing with Spain’s unsolved national and territorial conflict since its transition to democracy in the late 1970s.

In the short term, Sanchez must de-escalate the conflict by putting an end to the acrimonious relationship between Spain and Catalonia. That means being willing to listen and to talk. There is already a ring of cautious optimism on that front. Sanchez seems prepared to engage in dialogue – unlike Rajoy.

Then Sanchez must restore the Catalan government’s authority, restoring devolved powers to the regional parliament. He will also have to deal with the trickier matter of the nationalist leaders who were jailed last autumn. This is a fundamental demand among many Catalans, who see them as political prisoners. But it may not be easy for the party to intervene in a judicial process without it looking like obvious political meddling.

In the longer term, Sanchez will need to think creatively about how to engage the Catalan government over Catalonia’s constitutional future within Spain. He will be treading a thin line, either side of which stand staunch opponents. On one side are the dyed-in-the-wool Catalan republicans, who harbour a seemingly irrepressible will to assert Catalonia’s right to decide its future. They will almost certainly demand a new, legally sanctioned referendum on self-determination. On the other side are the defenders of national unity, the PP and Ciudadanos, which may well soon take over the mantle of Spanish nationalism. They hold an equally firm view that any concession on the issue of self-determination is not permissible. That view is shared by an important portion of Spanish public, many of which vote for the PSOE. With a dwindling basis of electoral support, Sanchez can’t afford to alienate them. 
Federal reform

So Sanchez will have to remain committed to accommodating Catalonia within the framework of the constitution. What that eventually looks like will depend on what is made possible by the political coalition that supports reform. One potential strategy available to the PSOE is to (re)capitalise on its ties with the Catalan Socialist Party to reach out to moderate nationalist forces in the Catalan parliament. They could hash out an agreement over potential federal constitutional reform.

At the heart of any reform are two major longstanding demands that will have to be addressed. The Catalan government wants a new fiscal settlement and for Catalonia to be recognised as a distinct nation within Spain. These reforms can be achieved through a revision of Catalonia’s statute of autonomy and would need to be ratified in a referendum by Catalan voters.

National recognition would represent an acknowledgement of Catalans’ sovereignty and their “right to decide” their constitutional future – albeit within the parameters set by the Spanish constitution. A referendum on a new statute could also open the door to a democratic option on independence. However, at this point, that’s unlikely to happen. The main difficulty will be to ensure this new statute can’t be overturned by future judicial challenges that may water it down. 
A narrow chance for success

The deal brokered to support the socialist minority government is still fresh and there isn’t a huge amount of trust between the parties. There’s even some lingering hostility. So while there is a chance to solve the conflict with Catalonia, it’s narrow. The deal may yet break down.

But if parties on all sides are prepared to listen to divergent political views - and if Sanchez’s party can show creative spirit - there is hope that a political change in Spain could bring about a constructive dialogue. That, in time, could form the basis of a renewed relationship between Catalonia and Spain.

(Simon Toubeau is Assistant Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham and Pere Almeda is Adjunct Lecturer, University of Barcelona)

(This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com/global">The Conversation</a>. Read the original <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-new-government-in-spain-means-for-catalonia-97724">article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

To avert this collision, Sanchez must now make good on the promise he made to his Catalan parliamentary allies.

By Simon Toubeau and Pere Almeda* Spain’s new prime minister Pedro Sanchez rose to office against a backdrop of unprecedented drama. But now he could capitalise on the circumstances that landed him the top job to resolve the conflict with Catalonia. Sanchez successfully ousted his predecessor Mariano Rajoy by passing a motion of no confidence against the Partido Popular government. Seizing on the unique opportunity offered by the sentencing of several prominent PP officials in a long-running corruption trial, the opposition leader moved quickly. Sanchez needed at least 176 votes but his Socialist party (PSOE) only had 84 seats and Ciudadanos, a centrist-liberal formation with a strong Spanish nationalist rhetoric, wouldn’t endorse a new left-wing government. So, Sanchez needed to muster the support of all other parties in the Spanish parliament. This included the left-wing party Podemos, and several nationalist parties from the Basque country and Catalonia, such as Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC). At the same time, in Barcelona, Quim Torra – a Catalan nationalist hand-picked by the exiled former president Carles Puigdemont – was elected leader of a new Catalan government. This came after months of protracted negotiations that followed the extraordinary regional elections of December 2017. These were called by the Spanish central government immediately after it suspended the Catalan government for having symbolically issued a unilateral declaration of independence after the referendum held on October 1. But any hope from Madrid that these elections would quell nationalist fervour backfired. The three parties in favour of Catalan independence (JuntsPerCat, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Candidatura d’Unitat Popular) returned to parliament with a majority (albeit a slim one), determined to pursue their cause, setting them on a collision course with Madrid. To avert this collision, Sanchez must now make good on the promise he made to his Catalan parliamentary allies to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Catalan government on how to resolve the ongoing conflict. The basis of a deal At the basis of the deal between these parties was the common goal of ousting Rajoy from power. The Catalan parties will offer stability for the Spanish government: support for the continuation of a minority PSOE administration until the end of the legislature in 2020 and support on the party’s economic and social policies. In exchange, the PSOE will need to make progress dealing with Spain’s unsolved national and territorial conflict since its transition to democracy in the late 1970s. In the short term, Sanchez must de-escalate the conflict by putting an end to the acrimonious relationship between Spain and Catalonia. That means being willing to listen and to talk. There is already a ring of cautious optimism on that front. Sanchez seems prepared to engage in dialogue – unlike Rajoy. Then Sanchez must restore the Catalan government’s authority, restoring devolved powers to the regional parliament. He will also have to deal with the trickier matter of the nationalist leaders who were jailed last autumn. This is a fundamental demand among many Catalans, who see them as political prisoners. But it may not be easy for the party to intervene in a judicial process without it looking like obvious political meddling. In the longer term, Sanchez will need to think creatively about how to engage the Catalan government over Catalonia’s constitutional future within Spain. He will be treading a thin line, either side of which stand staunch opponents. On one side are the dyed-in-the-wool Catalan republicans, who harbour a seemingly irrepressible will to assert Catalonia’s right to decide its future. They will almost certainly demand a new, legally sanctioned referendum on self-determination. On the other side are the defenders of national unity, the PP and Ciudadanos, which may well soon take over the mantle of Spanish nationalism. They hold an equally firm view that any concession on the issue of self-determination is not permissible. That view is shared by an important portion of Spanish public, many of which vote for the PSOE. With a dwindling basis of electoral support, Sanchez can’t afford to alienate them. Federal reform So Sanchez will have to remain committed to accommodating Catalonia within the framework of the constitution. What that eventually looks like will depend on what is made possible by the political coalition that supports reform. One potential strategy available to the PSOE is to (re)capitalise on its ties with the Catalan Socialist Party to reach out to moderate nationalist forces in the Catalan parliament. They could hash out an agreement over potential federal constitutional reform. At the heart of any reform are two major longstanding demands that will have to be addressed. The Catalan government wants a new fiscal settlement and for Catalonia to be recognised as a distinct nation within Spain. These reforms can be achieved through a revision of Catalonia’s statute of autonomy and would need to be ratified in a referendum by Catalan voters. National recognition would represent an acknowledgement of Catalans’ sovereignty and their “right to decide” their constitutional future – albeit within the parameters set by the Spanish constitution. A referendum on a new statute could also open the door to a democratic option on independence. However, at this point, that’s unlikely to happen. The main difficulty will be to ensure this new statute can’t be overturned by future judicial challenges that may water it down. A narrow chance for success The deal brokered to support the socialist minority government is still fresh and there isn’t a huge amount of trust between the parties. There’s even some lingering hostility. So while there is a chance to solve the conflict with Catalonia, it’s narrow. The deal may yet break down. But if parties on all sides are prepared to listen to divergent political views - and if Sanchez’s party can show creative spirit - there is hope that a political change in Spain could bring about a constructive dialogue. That, in time, could form the basis of a renewed relationship between Catalonia and Spain. (Simon Toubeau is Assistant Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham and Pere Almeda is Adjunct Lecturer, University of Barcelona) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What a new government in Spain means for Catalonia

Catalonia&#39;s fugitive separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was under pressure Sunday to return to Spain after the country&#39;s top court ruled he could not govern the region from abroad.

Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October after the Catalan parliament declared independence, would in the &quot;coming hours&quot; ask the Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament Tuesday on his bid to form a new government, a lawmaker with his Together for Catalonia party, Josep Rull, told Catalan radio.

The newly elected speaker of the Catalan parliament, Roger Torrent, last week named Puigdemont as the candidate to head the Catalan government after separatist parties again won an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament in a December regional election.

However, he faces arrest for rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his attempt to break Catalonia away from Spain as soon as he returns.

Puigdemont had said he could be sworn into office via video conference from Brussels, a plan Spain&#39;s central government opposes.

Puigdemont&#39;s supporters have said that he could rule from abroad by video link but has said he would rather return to Spain as long as he is given guarantees that he will not be arrested.

But Spain&#39;s Consitutional Court late Saturday ruled Puigdemont must return to the country and be present in the regional parliament to receive the authority to form a new government.

The court said that its 11 magistrates had decided unanimously &quot;to preventively suspend the investiture of Puigdemont unless he appears in the (regional) parliament in person with prior judicial authorisation&quot;.

It also warned all members of the Catalan parliament of &quot;their responsibilities&quot; and warned against disobeying the order to suspend any investiture.

The magistrates said they needed six more days to consider a government bid to annul the nomination of Puigdemont as a candidate for the regional presidency.

&nbsp;Puigdemont &#39;sacrificed&nbsp;

Catalonia&#39;s fugitive ex-president faced also faced pressure from the Catalan separatist camp to step aside in favour of another candidate to form a government.

&quot;It is essential to have a government, if president Puigdemont has to be sacrificed, we will have to sacrifice him,&quot; Joan Tarda, a top lawmaker for Catalan separatist party the Republican Left (ERC), said in an interview published Sunday in Catalan daily La Vanguardia.

&quot;We can&#39;t jeopardise our great election win on December 21. Carles Puigdemont, whether or not he is president of Catalonia in the coming years...will enter into the history books.&quot;

Top-selling daily newspaper El Pais also weighed in, writing in an editorial that if the separatists want to government &quot;they must renounce a candidate who is accused of serious crimes against the state and propose another.&quot;

Torrent, the speaker of the Catalan parliament, has not yet reacted in public to the Constitutional Court&#39;s ruling.

&nbsp;Arrests&nbsp;

Catalonia&#39;s independence declaration on October 27 was short-lived as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy moved to stop the crisis in a region deeply divided over secession.

Rajoy imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, sacked its government including Puigdemont, dissolved its parliament and called snap elections.

Several days later, separatist leaders were charged for their attempt to break from Spain via a banned independence referendum, but by then Puigdemont and several of his former ministers were already in Belgium.

Deposed vice president Oriol Junqueras, however, remained in Spain and was jailed along with others pending a probe into their role in the independence drive.

Carles asked Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament

Catalonia's fugitive separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was under pressure Sunday to return to Spain after the country's top court ruled he could not govern the region from abroad. Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in October after the Catalan parliament declared independence, would in the "coming hours" ask the Supreme Court for permission to attend a debate and vote in the Catalan parliament Tuesday on his bid to form a new government, a lawmaker with his Together for Catalonia party, Josep Rull, told Catalan radio. The newly elected speaker of the Catalan parliament, Roger Torrent, last week named Puigdemont as the candidate to head the Catalan government after separatist parties again won an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament in a December regional election. However, he faces arrest for rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his attempt to break Catalonia away from Spain as soon as he returns. Puigdemont had said he could be sworn into office via video conference from Brussels, a plan Spain's central government opposes. Puigdemont's supporters have said that he could rule from abroad by video link but has said he would rather return to Spain as long as he is given guarantees that he will not be arrested. But Spain's Consitutional Court late Saturday ruled Puigdemont must return to the country and be present in the regional parliament to receive the authority to form a new government. The court said that its 11 magistrates had decided unanimously "to preventively suspend the investiture of Puigdemont unless he appears in the (regional) parliament in person with prior judicial authorisation". It also warned all members of the Catalan parliament of "their responsibilities" and warned against disobeying the order to suspend any investiture. The magistrates said they needed six more days to consider a government bid to annul the nomination of Puigdemont as a candidate for the regional presidency. Puigdemont 'sacrificed Catalonia's fugitive ex-president faced also faced pressure from the Catalan separatist camp to step aside in favour of another candidate to form a government. "It is essential to have a government, if president Puigdemont has to be sacrificed, we will have to sacrifice him," Joan Tarda, a top lawmaker for Catalan separatist party the Republican Left (ERC), said in an interview published Sunday in Catalan daily La Vanguardia. "We can't jeopardise our great election win on December 21. Carles Puigdemont, whether or not he is president of Catalonia in the coming years...will enter into the history books." Top-selling daily newspaper El Pais also weighed in, writing in an editorial that if the separatists want to government "they must renounce a candidate who is accused of serious crimes against the state and propose another." Torrent, the speaker of the Catalan parliament, has not yet reacted in public to the Constitutional Court's ruling. Arrests Catalonia's independence declaration on October 27 was short-lived as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy moved to stop the crisis in a region deeply divided over secession. Rajoy imposed direct rule on the semi-autonomous region, sacked its government including Puigdemont, dissolved its parliament and called snap elections. Several days later, separatist leaders were charged for their attempt to break from Spain via a banned independence referendum, but by then Puigdemont and several of his former ministers were already in Belgium. Deposed vice president Oriol Junqueras, however, remained in Spain and was jailed along with others pending a probe into their role in the independence drive.

Court ruling pressures fugitive Catalan leader to return to Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for a Catalan parliament to be formed on Jan. 17, the first step in reinstating a local government that was taken over by Madrid after illegally declaring independence in October.

Once the parliament is formed, members must put forward a candidate to lead the regional government who must then undergo a vote of confidence.

Separatist parties secured a slim majority in a Dec. 21 election, but they may have difficulty forming a government with many of their leaders facing legal proceedings over their role in the independence movement or in self-imposed exile.

Once the parliament is formed, members must put forward a candidate to lead the regional government who must then undergo a vote of confidence.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called for a Catalan parliament to be formed on Jan. 17, the first step in reinstating a local government that was taken over by Madrid after illegally declaring independence in October. Once the parliament is formed, members must put forward a candidate to lead the regional government who must then undergo a vote of confidence. Separatist parties secured a slim majority in a Dec. 21 election, but they may have difficulty forming a government with many of their leaders facing legal proceedings over their role in the independence movement or in self-imposed exile.

Spanish PM calls for Catalan parliament to be formed on January 17

Catalonia&#39;s parliament will hold a plenary session on Thursday to decide its response to<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spain-to-suspend-catalonias-government-call-elections-22701" target="_blank"> the central government&#39;s </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spain-to-suspend-catalonias-government-call-elections-22701" target="_blank">move</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spain-to-suspend-catalonias-government-call-elections-22701" target="_blank"> to dismiss the region&#39;s government,</a> a spokesman for the ruling separatist coalition said Monday.

The plenary could continue on Friday when Spain&#39;s Senate is expected to vote on measures proposed by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to dismiss the Catalan government, said Lluis Corominas, the spokesman for the Together for Yes coalition.

Catalan separatist parties have threatened to declare independence if the Senate approves the measures.

In a meeting held today, the Catalan Parliament said will hold a plenary session on Thursday to decide its response to the central government's move to dismiss the region's government

Catalonia's parliament will hold a plenary session on Thursday to decide its response to the central government's move to dismiss the region's government, a spokesman for the ruling separatist coalition said Monday. The plenary could continue on Friday when Spain's Senate is expected to vote on measures proposed by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to dismiss the Catalan government, said Lluis Corominas, the spokesman for the Together for Yes coalition. Catalan separatist parties have threatened to declare independence if the Senate approves the measures.

Catalan separatists set key parliament session for Thursday