CATALONIA’s new parliamentary session is due to convene today for the first time since the December 21 election called by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, with uncertainty over whether Carles Puigdemont will be sworn in as president.
Sources close to his camp have told The National: “Everything will be fine,” without explaining whether he will attend the inauguration in person, through a proxy MP, or via Skype from his self-imposed exile in Brussels.
Rajoy has threatened to continue the direct rule of Catalonia —imposed under Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution following Parliament’s declaration of independence last October — should MPs seek to allow Puigdemont to run the region from his exile.
READ MORE: Catalonia presidential nominee ‘must appear in person’, say lawyers
The snap election he called in the hope of ousting supporters of independence backfired when pro-indy parties won enough seats to form a government.
Sources within Puigdemont’s Together for Catalonia (JxCat) indicated yesterday that he had completed the formalities to be confirmed as a member of the Catalan Parliament — or deputy.
They told the newspaper El Nacional that he swore to uphold the constitution and the statute of autonomy “due to legal imperative”.
Puigdemont added: “I promise to act with complete fidelity to the will of the people of Catalonia.”
Other JxCat “deputies-elect”, some of have been imprisoned without trial on charges arising from the independence declaration, along with leading members of the Republic Left (ERC) made similar vows.
The ERC yesterday named their choice for the new president of the parliament as Roger Torrent, 40, who has been mayor of Sarrià de Ter since 2007 and an MP since 2012.
His appointment will maintain pro-independence parties’ parliamentary majority. Widely seen as a rising star of the ERC, Torrent will replace Carme Forcadell, who resigned a week ago to concentrate on fighting the charges of rebellion and sedition she faces over the indy declaration.
Rajoy told his own Popular party (PP) yesterday it would be “absurd” for the “fugitive” Puigdemont to take office by video-conference or by having another MP read his acceptance speech.
He said: “To be sworn in, you have to do so physically. Realism and common sense should prevail.
“It [direct rule] will remain in force until the new president takes possession [of the role].”
Today’s session will see an interim bureau set up to run the parliament.
It will include the oldest and two youngest members of the chamber, all of whom are members of the ERC.
A decision to allow Puigdemont — and other jailed or exiled MPs — to vote by proxy will be one of the first items on their agenda.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here