THE victory of the pro-independence parties in Catalonia’s election is a slap in the face for Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Those seeking independence won enough votes to secure a majority in the regional parliament and give new momentum to their political struggle for independence from Spain.

The three pro-independence forces together took 70 seats, two above a majority required in the Catalan Parliament.

It was a truly amazing result given the circumstances, with the regional government removed and Catalan parliament dissolved following the October 1 independence referendum – a referendum that witnessed extensive violence when Rajoy deployed riot police to try to prevent people voting.

With direct rule imposed by Madrid and Catalonia’s political leaders in jail and exile, Rajoy was clearly doing all he could to staunch the pro-independence movement.

He has, however, become Spain’s answer to Theresa May. He gambled in calling an early election to end the political crisis, and it is a move that has clearly backfired.

Against all the odds, the pro-union coalition of parties was defeated by pro-independence parties, and Rajoy’s ruling Popular Party was left with only three seats compared to 11 held in the previous parliament.

The Spanish Government, which initially resisted talks with the Catalan Government, must now look to sit down with it and try to resolve a situation which, despite Madrid’s best attempts, is simply not going to go away.
Alex Orr
Edinburgh

THERE is only one thing that makes me sad about the result in Catalonia – that I am not there to celebrate with my Catalan friends.

Many’s the time over the years we’ve sat there discussing the possibility of our countries being independent, never, ever thinking we’d be close. Now we’re both on the brink. Let’s hope we can both make the final push! To all my Catalan friends – and all Catalans – well done!
Crìsdean Mac Fhearghais
Dùn Eideann

THERE is a difference between campaigning for independence and naming a date for a referendum and in my opinion the campaign for independence should have continued relentlessly as of September 19, 2014.

Unless the case for independence had been proven to be false, I have no idea why the Yes campaign was shut down on that day. Our Yes group on Cowal picked ourselves off the floor that same day and decided to carry on. So you will excuse me if I express my growing dismay at those who say we need time, we have to wait, we want to see what Brexit does etc, etc, etc.

We need time to get our case right? No, we do not. Our case is right. It is that we are a resourceful, clever, hardworking nation and we should be running our own affairs, the same as everyone else. That is all – and that is what our opponents know is our case, which is why they continually peddle the myths that we are too wee and too poor and too stupid. Call them out on these insults – which is what they are. Any time we take it, we also give to our opponents – or have some people not noticed that?

We have to wait for the Brexit debacle? No, we do not. The case for independence does not rely in any way on the Brexit process. But as Ireland has just illustrated, independence is a very useful device for protecting your own interests.

Nobody wants to talk about independence? What utter rubbish. One wonders why, if this was the case, 100,000 people joined the SNP in the months after the referendum. The only people who don’t want to talk about independence are those who oppose independence. Why did some of our leadership believe this fiction? We saw the result in the “snap” election of swallowing our enemy’s lies.

The fact is we do not have time. We will never have a better opportunity. And the fact is that no matter the result of Brexit and perhaps the collapsing social and economic fabric of the UK, the people, over a period of time, just adapt to the new reality and plough on and there never is a “right time” unless you continually make a case for the change that then opens the door to your opportunity.
Dave McEwan Hill
Argyll

STEVE Arnott’s letter saying there should only be one question on the ballot for indyref2 (Letters, December 20) expresses the views I’ve been writing about for some time.

The media’s habit of maligning independence supporters who voted Leave is both lazy and inaccurate.

When I’ve voiced the same criticisms of the EU as “pro-free market, neo-liberal and undemocratic”, or pointed out how ashamed we ought to be of the EU’s suppression of democracy in Catalonia, and earlier in Italy, Greece and Portugal, I’ve been rounded on by my critics, accusing me of rabble rousing.

I’ve bought The National since its inception because it is the only newspaper which supports independence but even it has been guilty of giving more credence to the view that Leave voters are blind followers of Boris Johnson, et al.

Hopefully, you will now present the Leave view in a more balanced way. I will continue to criticise the EU until it lives up to the responsibilities of its own charters and shows respect for democracy.
Lovina Roe
Perth