Catalonia

[Pauls' Revere]

Puigdemont ARRESTED

https://www.voanews.com/a/germany-ar...t/4315221.html

BARCELONA, SPAIN —

Catalonia's ousted president Carles Puigdemont was arrested in Germany Sunday while crossing the border from Denmark, German police said.

Puigdemont's lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, confirmed the arrest on Twitter, adding that Puigdemont was traveling to Belgium, where he initially fled after an arrest warrant was issued against him for his role in an independence referendum in October.

[Swordsmyth]

To limit his options on travel.

Why not all of Europe then?
Why just Finland?

[Zippyjuan]

https://www.thelocal.es/20180324/pro...e-leaders-held

Protests in Catalonia after independence leaders held



Thousands of protesters descended on the streets of Catalonia late Friday after Spain's supreme court detained five separatist leaders for their role in last year's independence bid.

The court also issued international arrest warrants for six other Catalan figures who have fled abroad, including former regional president Carles Puigdemont.

Twenty-four protesters were lightly injured in clashes with police, emergency services said.

Riot police used batons to keep the demonstrators away from the federal government offices in Barcelona.

The protest had been called on Thursday, by the radical Committees for the Defence of the Republic (CDR), before the court decisions were announced.

Spain's Supreme Court said Friday it would prosecute 13 key Catalan separatists for "rebellion", a crime which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail.

Five people were held in custody, including Catalan presidential candidate Jordi Turull who was due Saturday to seek a second round vote in the regional parliament, after failing to be elected earlier in the week.

A Supreme Court judge held former Catalan parliament president Carme Forcadell and three former regional ministers alongside Turull.

Judge Pablo Llarena decided that the five posed a flight risk, after Marta Rovira became the latest leading pro-independence figure to flee abroad to escape charges.

Rovira ignored the summons and announced she was taking "the road to exile".

The deputy leader of the leftwing separatist ERC party, whose chief is currently in jail, is currently in Switzerland, according to Spanish media.

Llarena also issued international arrest warrants for former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, who is in self-imposed exile in Belgium along with four of his former ministers.

All five left Spain following a proclamation of independence for Catalonia in October. One of them, Clara Ponsati, has since moved on to Scotland.

Four other separatists had already been detained by the Spanish authorities.

In total 25 people, the core of the movement, have been indicted over last year's independence drive.

The court decisions further inflamed the protesters in Barcelona, some of whom burnt pictures of King Felipe VI, a crime in Spain, as well as photos of judge Llarena.

They waved separatist flags and chanted "Freedom for the political prisoners".

Another, calmer, rally filled the huge Plaça de Catalunya in central Barcelona.

"Catalonia has never felt like part of Spain," said 22-year old Alba Mateu, one of the demonstrators.

"There are two million people who want to leave Spain and they can't put us all in prison," his 58-year-old mother Carme Sala added.

Catalan television aired footage of more crowds in towns in the region, including Vic and Tarragona.

More at link.

[Pauls' Revere]

Why not all of Europe then?
Why just Finland?

guess each country has to issue one? I thought there was an international one as well. Mute point since he's arrested.

[Firestarter]

German police arrested Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on Sunday morning on a European arrest warrant after he left Finland just days earlier on his way back to Belgium.

Puigdemont’s lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, confirmed that German police stopped the former leader when he was crossing the border with Denmark. He said Puigdemont is at a police station.
The arrest came after the Spanish Supreme Court judge charged 13 Catalan separatist politicians with rebellion on Friday. The corrupt judge also ordered international arrest warrants for the 6 Catalan “fugitives”, including Puigdemont.

Puigdemont, who had escaped being imprisoned in Spain by fleeing to Belgium, had visited Finland since Thursday for talks with politicians. Finland confirmed on Saturday it had received a European arrest warrant for “a Spanish citizen visiting Finland”, but did not know the person’s whereabouts.
Finnish MP Mikko Karna, one of Puigdemont’s hosts in Finland, Tweeted on Saturday that “Puigdemont departed from Finland Friday evening by unknown means to Belgium”.

In Barcelona on Saturday, the Catalan parliament couldn’t continue the debate on selecting Jordi Turull for regional president, after he was placed in police custody.
It’s the third time that the parliament couldn’t nominate a new president, after Puigdemont and Jordi Sanchez (who is also in jail) were forced to withdraw their candidacies: http://www.scmp.com/news/world/europ...inland-despite

[Firestarter]

There is a practical problem to get Carles Puigdemont (and the other pro-independence Catalan politicians) extradited.
It isn’t possible to have him extradited on a European Arrest Warrant for rebellion – which could be punished with up to 35 years in prison.

For this reason Spanish Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena added misappropriation of public funds to the charges.
It’s possible to have Puigdemont extradited on misappropriation of public funds, corruption, but if that happens, legally he can’t be prosecuted for rebellion. This could be sentenced with a prison sentence from 2 to 6 years.

Some people claim that a highly publicised trial of Puigdemont could backfire on the Spanish government by galvanising the separatist movement: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/27/w...tradition.html

[Swordsmyth]

On April 6, a court in Schleswig-Holstein ruled that the Spanish charge of “rebellion” did not constitute grounds to either hold Puigdemont or extradite him to Spain. It should be noted that in ordering Puigdemont freed on a usurious $90,000 bail, the German court stipulated that Puigdemont’s extradition to Spain was only “suspended,” not vacated. The court ruled that Spain’s charge that Puigdemont used public funds to hold the Catalonian independence referendum could still constitute a reason to extradite him to Spain. In addition, the German court said it would consult with Spanish and federal German authorities on this point.
The German Foreign Ministry has cited the “independence” of the Spanish judiciary in the prosecution of Catalonian leaders. Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that she hopes Puigdemont’s extradition to Spain “goes ahead.” It appears that some in Germany still treasure past German support for the Francoist traditions of Spain’s court system and other anti-Catalan and anti-Basque “instruments” of government in Madrid. Spain’s national police force, the “Guardia Civil,” took lessons from Heinrich Himmler and the Gestapo during and after the Spanish Civil War. The “Guardia,” feared under Franco’s dictatorship, preserves many of the Nazi SS’s basic surveillance traditions in its age-old battle against the Catalonians and Basques. It is the “Guardia” upon whom the modern-day Torquemada, Judge Llarena, relies upon to round up Catalonian leaders for prosecution and imprisonment. Under the Hendaye Agreement of 1940 between Nazi Germany and Spain, German intelligence helped keep tabs on members of the Spanish Republican government-in-exile, as well as veterans of the International Brigades who fought for the Spanish loyalists during the civil war. German Abwehr military intelligence agents identified members and supporters of the Spanish, Catalonian, and Basque governments-in-exile in places as far afield as Havana, Mexico City, Montevideo, Bogota, Santiago, Panama City, Caracas, Buenos Aires, Santo Domingo (then called Ciudad Trujillo), and New York City.
When France fell to the Germans, the Gestapo scoured French police files for information on Spanish expatriate residents in France who supported the loyalist government. These included many Catalonians and Basques, some of whom had fled to France after the brutal suppression of the Catalonian rebellion of 1934, as well as the Basque government-in-exile in Paris. Franco’s intelligence service also sent agents to Axis Power-occupied and neutral territory to “neutralize” or arrest Catalonian and other dissidents. Spanish nationalist agents fanned out to Rotterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, Toulouse, Zurich, and Geneva in search of Catalonian, Basque, and Spanish enemies of Franco and his Falangist Party.
Spanish Republican President Manuel Azaña, exile in France, was arrested by the Vichy authorities after the Nazi occupation of France. Azaña died while under arrest at the Montauban internment camp. Merkel and her government, who support the arrest and extradition of Puigdemont, have much in common, and not in a good way, with the Vichy authorities who arrested Azaña.
Instead of Franco and his spies, it is now Rajoy and CNI that sends agents out across Europe. In the case of Puigdemont’s delegation, these Spanish agents were dispatched to Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany to apprehend the Catalonian leadership. Adolf Hitler assisted Franco in tracking down enemies of the Madrid government. Today, it is Merkel who is providing similar assistance to Rajoy.


More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...-eerie-dismiss

[Firestarter]

Yesterday, more than 300,000 protesters on the streets of Barcelona demanded the release of the Catalan independence movement politicians that are locked up in prison.

The protesters carried Catalan flags, and walked behind a huge banner reading: “For rights and liberties, for democracy and unity, we want them back home!”
Many in the crowd chanted: "Freedom for the political prisoners".


The rally was organised by the National Catalan Assembly and Omnium pro-independence groups, whose leaders, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, were arrested in Madrid 6 months ago. Sanchez and Cuixart may face up to 30 years in prison on rebellion charges.
Nine Catalan politicians are currently locked up awaiting trial for their role in declaring independence from Spain in October after 90% of the voters supported the move in a referendum.
Catalonia has been put under Madrid’s direct rule since, with the region’s new leader’s election being postponed repeatedly (now scheduled for May 22).

The German court has already decided that Carles Puigdemont can’t be extradited for rebellion. It still has to make the final decision if he is to be extradited to Spain for corruption (with a considerable lower maximum sentence): https://www.rt.com/news/424222-barce...dence-leaders/

[Firestarter]

At yesterday's cup final in Madrid, Barça fans weren't allowed to take yellow shirts or scarves into the stadium. Some had to take their clothes off from the waist up.
According to Spain’s Police, yellow is threatening to Spanish Dictator Felipe VI, who attended the final between Sevilla and FC Barcelona.

Journalist Jaume Clotet tweeted:

Yellow is the color used by the Catalan political prisoners campaign. Spain is becoming an authoritarian state where simple colors are being chased.

https://brusselsobserver.com/catalan...panish-police/


See the video.

[Swordsmyth]

At yesterday's cup final in Madrid, Barça fans weren't allowed to take yellow shirts or scarves into the stadium. Some had to take their clothes off from the waist up.
According to Spain’s Police, yellow is threatening to Spanish Dictator Felipe VI, who attended the final between Sevilla and FC Barcelona.

Journalist Jaume Clotet tweeted: https://brusselsobserver.com/catalan...panish-police/


According to the Spaniard, that posted this video, the footage is from a debate on Spanish TV with guests against independence of Catalonia…
Starting at 6:12.

[Pauls' Revere]

https://www.thelocal.es/20180413/a-n...t-marta-rovira

Catalan separatist Marta Rovira, who fled Spain last month to escape charges over the region's breakaway bid, said in an interview published Thursday she planned to settle in Switzerland for good.

Rovira, who is the deputy leader of the leftwing separatist ERC party, is one of seven pro-independence leaders who have fled abroad to avoid facing serious charges over their role in Catalonia's independence push in October 2017.

Nine others, including ERC president Oriol Junqueras, are in prison.

Catalonia's pro-independence presidential candidate Jordi Sanchez also remains in jail, after Spain's Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a request for him to be released and sworn in as regional head.


Not a fan of the left wing slant to this separatist movement but it is self-determination nonetheless.

[TheTexan]

arrested ... for his role in an independence referendum in October.

I guess he forgot to ask for permission first?

[Pauls' Revere]

Meanwhile in The Basque Country: https://www.thelocal.es/20180422/spa...in-basque-city

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bilbao in northern Spain on Saturday, urging better conditions for jailed members or collaborators of ETA just weeks before the Basque separatist group is due to disband.

[Pauls' Revere]

Meanwhile in The Basque Country: https://www.thelocal.es/20180422/spa...in-basque-city

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bilbao in northern Spain on Saturday, urging better conditions for jailed members or collaborators of ETA just weeks before the Basque separatist group is due to disband.

[TheTexan]

urging better conditions for jailed members

Perhaps they should start a petition, and/or write strongly worded letters to their captors.

[Pauls' Revere]

I guess he forgot to ask for permission first?

seems what Calexit is trying to do? peaceful secession? didn't work so well for the Southern States.

[Swordsmyth]

The Catalan parliament, ending months of uncertainty, on May 14 appointed Quim Torra, a fervent supporter of independence from Spain, as the regional president. Meanwhile, the Spanish central government will soon end its direct control of the Catalan government. Both events will lead to some degree of normalization in the region after months of direct Spanish government control. But they will also open the door for another round of confrontation between the region and the central government.

After several unsuccessful attempts to appoint leaders who were either abroad or in prison, the pro-independence forces elected Torra, the leader of a hard-line nongovernmental organization that supports secession. On May 11 Torra promised to start the process of creating the constitution for an independent Catalan republic and to keep the Catalan citizens "mobilized" in support of independence.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/artic...-cautious-path

[Pauls' Revere]

https://www.thelocal.es/20180511/wha...nally-in-sight
If Torra is appointed president and forms a regional government, Madrid will lift the direct rule it imposed on October 27th when the majority separatist parliament declared independence. It accordance with article 155 of the Constitution, it was designed to rein in rebel regions.

On Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy implied that article 155 could be re-used.

"It's a procedure that will be there in the future if necessary," he warned.

Puigdemont, meanwhile, wants to create "a Republican council that will be able to express itself freely" from abroad, composed of himself and other allies who are also in self-exile.

The former Catalan leader insists the situation is "temporary," implying that Torra may one day make way for him.

"We will see whether Quim Torra, once he is in place, will see himself as a provisional president or whether he will develop a taste for the post," says Oriol Bartomeus, a politics professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Bartomeus points out that Puigdemont himself was elected Catalan president in January 2016 "to keep (his predecessor) Artur Mas's seat warm."

The CUP had refused to re-appoint Mas as Catalan president, leading to Puigdemont's designation, but Mas had always thought -- wrongly as it turns out -- he would come back.

Legal woes

Puigdemont is currently in Berlin where he is waiting for a German court to rule on an extradition demand from Spain, which has charged him with "rebellion," a crime that carries up to 30 years in jail.

The German court has rejected extraditing him on that charge, but is still deliberating whether to send him back on the lesser charge of misuse of public funds.

Madrid, meanwhile, is contemplating appealing to European courts if it doesn't get its way.

If he avoids extradition, Puigdemont will have to choose between remaining in self-exile or returning to Spain where he would be jailed.


We'll see, sounds like round three of more of the same until they elect a leader that they can't make charges stick too? I would guess that at some point perhaps the Catalans in favor of independence are going to run out of patience. I want to see what Torra is going to do to make this a now or never issue.

[Swordsmyth]

Spain's Socialists, the country's largest opposition party, filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after judges ruled that his Popular Party benefited from illegal funds, Deutsche Welle reported May 25. Rajoy has also been criticized for how he handled the dispute with Catalonia.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...-no-confidence

[Firestarter]

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...-no-confidence

I don't want to complain about your posts; you post a massive amount of good information (I have some problems just keeping up)...
But the stratfor.com articles that you sometimes post are a little too short on information for my taste.


Wasn’t Carles Puigdemont accused of “corruption” to have him extradited from Germany?!?

On 25 May, Spain's largest opposition party, the Socialists, filed a no-confidence motion against PM Mariano Rajoy after the Court on Thursday ruled that his Popular Party (PP) benefited from illegal funds.
The judges sentenced 29 businesspeople and PP officials in the Gurtel corruption trial to a combined total of 351 years in jail for fraud, tax evasion and money laundering among others. The PP benefited from illegally obtained funds and got fined €245,000 ($290,000).

The judges said the credibility of Rajoy "should be questioned":

(His) testimony does not appear as plausible enough to refute the strong evidence showing the existence of a slush fund in the party.

It was the first time that a ruling party in Spain had been found guilty in court and the PP will appeal.
Rajoy dismissed the no-confidence vote as "nonsense" in a press conference on Friday and said it is "against stability in Spain". Rajoy won’t step down and is committed to seeing out his term until 2020.

Friday's no-confidence vote will need the support of 176 MPs in Spain's 350-strong lower house of parliament to succeed. It would need the support of the “left” Podemos (We can) party as well as the “right” Ciudadanos (Citizens).
In a tweet on Friday, the Podemos party's Madrid branch wrote:

We support the censure motion.

The Ciudadanos party have backed Rajoy's minority government and are unlikely to support Rajoy's ouster. Secretary General Jose Manuel Villegas said in a press conference:

The motion presented by Sanchez, with what we imagine is the support of populists and separatists, is not Ciudadanos' motion. We will oppose this motion and ask that Spaniards be given their say and that elections be called.

http://www.dw.com/en/spanish-premier...nds/a-43928752

[Swordsmyth]

I don't want to complain about your posts; you post a massive amount of good information (I have some problems just keeping up)...
But the stratfor.com articles that you sometimes post are a little too short on information for my taste.


Wasn’t Carles Puigdemont accused of “corruption” to have him extradited from Germany?!?

On 25 May, Spain's largest opposition party, the Socialists, filed a no-confidence motion against PM Mariano Rajoy after the Court on Thursday ruled that his Popular Party (PP) benefited from illegal funds.
The judges sentenced 29 businesspeople and PP officials in the Gurtel corruption trial to a combined total of 351 years in jail for fraud, tax evasion and money laundering among others. The PP benefited from illegally obtained funds and got fined €245,000 ($290,000).

The judges said the credibility of Rajoy "should be questioned":

It was the first time that a ruling party in Spain had been found guilty in court and the PP will appeal.
Rajoy dismissed the no-confidence vote as "nonsense" in a press conference on Friday and said it is "against stability in Spain". Rajoy won’t step down and is committed to seeing out his term until 2020.

Friday's no-confidence vote will need the support of 176 MPs in Spain's 350-strong lower house of parliament to succeed. It would need the support of the “left” Podemos (We can) party as well as the “right” Ciudadanos (Citizens).
In a tweet on Friday, the Podemos party's Madrid branch wrote:

The Ciudadanos party have backed Rajoy's minority government and are unlikely to support Rajoy's ouster. Secretary General Jose Manuel Villegas said in a press conference: http://www.dw.com/en/spanish-premier...nds/a-43928752

Stratfor's "situation reports" are often minimalist, I usually only cite them when I don't see the story elsewhere, thanks for digging up more details.

[Swordsmyth]

Mariano Rajoy became prime minister of Spain on December 20, 2011 and barring some miracle, his political career will end on June 1, 2018, because moments ago it appears that the required number of votes to ouster the premier in tomorrow's vote of no-confidence was reached.
As we reported earlier, Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez who is spearheading the vote against the unpopular premier, already had the backing of the anti-establishment group Podemos, and Catalan separatists Esquerra Republicana and PdeCat. He only needed the support of Basque Nationalists to clinch it.
Moments ago the Basques officially sided with Sanchez, when the Basque Nationalists informed both Rajoy’s People’s Party and the Socialists that they’ve decided to vote against the prime minister, according to state broadcaster Television Espanola. With the Catalans of PdeCat also expected to support Sanchez, that would be enough to defeat Rajoy, as there are now 177 votes against Rajoy with 176 needed.

Being the decisive vote against Rajoy must be a welcome revenge for the various Basque and Catalan separatist groups following the unprecedented crackdown that Rajoy unleashed against the various parties last fall when in the aftermath of the Catalan referendum, Spain cracked down on all separatists in the region.


Update: Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy refuses to resign ahead of tomorrow's 'done deal' vote of no confidence in his administration (given that the opposition apparently has the votes) and Maria Cospedal has confirmed that centre-left Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez is set to become the new Spanish prime minister.

“Are you ready to resign? Resign today and leave by your own will,” Sanchez told Rajoy. “You are part of the past, of a chapter the country is about to close.”

* * *

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...new-government

[Swordsmyth]

Mariano Rajoy became prime minister of Spain on December 20, 2011 and barring some miracle, his political career will end on June 1, 2018, because moments ago it appears that the required number of votes to ouster the premier in tomorrow's vote of no-confidence was reached.
As we reported earlier, Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez who is spearheading the vote against the unpopular premier, already had the backing of the anti-establishment group Podemos, and Catalan separatists Esquerra Republicana and PdeCat. He only needed the support of Basque Nationalists to clinch it.
Moments ago the Basques officially sided with Sanchez, when the Basque Nationalists informed both Rajoy’s People’s Party and the Socialists that they’ve decided to vote against the prime minister, according to state broadcaster Television Espanola. With the Catalans of PdeCat also expected to support Sanchez, that would be enough to defeat Rajoy, as there are now 177 votes against Rajoy with 176 needed.

Being the decisive vote against Rajoy must be a welcome revenge for the various Basque and Catalan separatist groups following the unprecedented crackdown that Rajoy unleashed against the various parties last fall when in the aftermath of the Catalan referendum, Spain cracked down on all separatists in the region.


Update: Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy refuses to resign ahead of tomorrow's 'done deal' vote of no confidence in his administration (given that the opposition apparently has the votes) and Maria Cospedal has confirmed that centre-left Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez is set to become the new Spanish prime minister.

“Are you ready to resign? Resign today and leave by your own will,” Sanchez told Rajoy. “You are part of the past, of a chapter the country is about to close.”

* * *

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...new-government

He should have let them go.

[goldenequity]

Rajoy gone. Stepped down before final vote of no confidence.

Socialist's party leader Pedro Sanchez confirmed as new Spanish PM after winning Parliament vote to succeed Rajoy

[Firestarter]

Stratfor's "situation reports" are often minimalist, I usually only cite them when I don't see the story elsewhere, thanks for digging up more details.

It looks like we agree (on Stratfor). Please keep up the good work!


Today, Mariano Rajoy was ousted as Spain’s Prime Minister after the parliament voted that it has no confidence in his government. Pedro Sanchez got 180 votes against 169 and is expected to become the new PM this weekend.

Rajoy knew that the numbers were against him, and said ahead of the vote:

Pedro Sánchez will be the prime minister of the government and I want to be the first to congratulate him.

After Sanchez had won the vote, he said:

Today, democracy has won. A new era in Spanish politics is beginning. I am reaching out to all the parliamentary groups to open these new times and I hope that we are all up to the responsibilities that we have ahead of us.

The government, for which Rajoy acted as front man, had been a minority government since the general election in 2016.

Sánchez’s party holds only 84 of the 350 seats in Parliament. Sanchez’s “Socialist” PSOE Party was backed in the no confidence vote by Podemos and a variety of small regional parties.
In 2017, Sánchez was unexpectedly re-chosen as leader of his Socialist party, 7 months after he himself was ousted in a party revolt.

It’s possible that new general election will be decided upon by King Felipe shortly.
The Spanish stock market rose on Friday, alongside other European markets, which were also happy about the news of Thursday’s government agreement in Italy: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/w...onfidence.html


It’s doubtful however if this will change anything besides the name of Spain’s Prime Minister.
Maybe King Felipe VI simply decided that a new PM is needed to pacify his population…

[Pauls' Revere]

PM Rajoy is out, and Sanchez is the new PM of Spain. Torra also has been sworn in as Barcelona's new president. He wants talks with Sanchez. Wonder what becomes of the prisoners from the last attempt to secede?

https://www.thelocal.es/20180602/cat...-spains-new-pm

Spain's central government last month recognised the powers of newly-elected Catalan president Torra but refused to ratify his first choice of councillors because four of them face charges linked to the failed independence drive. The Spanish government called their nomination "a new provocation".

Earlier this week, Torra nominated a new administration which did not include them, prompting Madrid to give its green light. The 55-year-old former editor has been under pressure from some segments of
his own separatist camp to adopt a more conciliatory stance, in order to allow a new Catalan government to take office and end Madrid's direct rule.

Torra was chosen by Puigdemont to be Catalonia's next leader after separatist parties kept their absolute majority in regional elections in December.

[Swordsmyth]

Nationalists regained control of Catalonia's government on June 2 and immediately said they would seek independence for the region, Reuters reported. The pledge posed a challenge to new Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took office about an hour earlier.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...enge-new-prime

[Pauls' Revere]

Spain's central government last month recognised the powers of newly-elected Catalan president Torra but refused to ratify his first choice of councillors because four of them face charges linked to the failed independence drive. The Spanish government called their nomination "a new provocation".

We'll see just how friendly these two are to one another.

[Swordsmyth]

The political situation in Spain has been complicated for nearly two years now as Rajoy governed with a very weak, cartel-style coalition. It was cobbled together under duress and pressure from the European Union to not allow anti-austerity party, Podemos to take power and prevent Catalan independence.
That was Friday. Today the new government in Catalonia was sworn in and it looks to be just as set on seceding from Spain as the last one was. The difference now is that EU-firster, Rajoy, is no longer in power.
The leader of the Socialist party, Pedro Sanchez, has vowed to discuss Catalonia’s situation “government to government” which is a radical change from Rajoy’s refusal to even countenance a dialog with former Catalan leader Carles Puidgemont, who is in Germany out on bond after being arrested by German authorities at Rajoy’s request.

Spain’s Socialists are trying to put together a weak, minority government which thumbs its nose at Podemos after using its support to get rid of Rajoy and take power.
Sanchez is trying to go it alone with support of around 20% of Spanish voters in putting together a cabinet. He’s doing this to keep Brussels from lashing out at involving Podemos in the mix who will push to undo fiscal austerity policies demanded by the Troika — EU, ECB and IMF.
But, it’s also obvious he’s willing to repay the separatists for their support. And in this way keep everyone honest. Brussels can’t push him too hard because he’ll simply allow the Catalans to go forth with their independence drive again this fall while also throwing domestic opponents a bone by loosening austerity policies.


If Sanchez forms a government he has an automatic ally in the new leadership in Italy. And together they can truly put the screws to Brussels in a way that they haven’t been able to previously.
It will take convincing Podemos’ leaders that the goal is to break Brussels’ hold on Spanish finances and to be patient. I don’t know enough to know that this can work, but tactically, this is the right path.
The new Catalan Prime Minister, Quim Torra, has already put an October 1st independence referendum on the table. So the clock has begun ticking again. Because if an independence-friendly government in Madrid holds serve over the next four months, the entire board state, as we gamers call it, changes completely.
* * *

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...s-around-spain

[Swordsmyth]

The Spanish government has authorized the transfer of six secessionist leaders from prisons in Madrid to prisons in Catalonia, El Pais reported July 3.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...atalan-prisons