The first Catalan president who supports Spanish unification since 2010 is officially elected
2024-08-10
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According to CCTV News, on August 8, 2024, the Spanish Catalonia Regional Council held a plenary session, and the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) candidate Salvador Illa was elected President of the Spanish Catalonia Regional Council.
The inauguration of Elia marks an important turning point in Catalan politics. Elia is the first leader to support the unification of Spain since 2010. As Elia said during his inaugural debate in parliament, he will "move forward and leave the past behind" during his term in office. Getting rid of the "independence" of the Catalan government in recent years is what Elia is committed to achieving.
Illa is from the Socialist Party, a minority party with only 42 members in the Catalan Chamber of Deputies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Illa served as Spain's Minister of Health. From 2020 to 2021, Illa was a member of the first cabinet of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and he is currently an important ally of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
On August 8, 2024, local time, in Barcelona, Spain, at the Catalan Parliament, bodyguards saluted the President of the Catalonia Autonomous Region, Salvador Illa, as he left after the plenary session of the authorized debate. Visual China Photo
On May 12 this year, after the elections were held in the Catalonia Autonomous Region of Spain, Elia's Socialist Party won the elections and won 42 seats out of 135 seats, but since no party won the majority of seats, the position of president will depend on negotiations between different parties. The complicated political situation has led to the negotiations being suspended. After nearly three months, the Socialist Party won the support of the Catalan left-wing separatist party ERC. In exchange for support, the Spanish government promised to give Catalonia more financial autonomy.
Elia's road to ruling Catalonia seems destined to be unstable. In fact, before the Catalan Congress on August 8, an uninvited guest caused an uproar.
According to CCTV News, on August 8, former Catalan leader and Catalan separatist Carles Puigdemont appeared at a rally in Barcelona and delivered a speech. Puigdemont then escaped from the police and disappeared. In 2017, it was in the referendum promoted by Puigdemont that Catalonia voted for independence and established the Republic of Catalonia. The independence movement was immediately suppressed by the Spanish government, and Puigdemont himself began a seven-year exile.
After his return, Puigdemont shouted in the square: "I came here today to remind you that we are still here. We have no right to surrender. The right to self-determination belongs to the people. Catalonia must be allowed to decide its own future!" Thousands of independence supporters gathered around and listened to Puigdemont's speech. The police came to search and cause a riot. Videos on social platforms showed that supporters at the rally clashed with far-right Vox members and Spanish police, and the police fired tear gas to control the riot.
Puigdemont has not yet been arrested. According to the local daily La Vanguardia, two members of the Catalan police force have been detained. One of them is suspected of helping Puigdemont escape after the rally.
In recent years, the momentum of the Catalan independence movement has weakened. However, on May 9, the Spanish Parliament passed the "Amnesty Law for Catalan Nationalists", which means that politicians who shouted "Catalan independence" will be forgiven. Sanchez's move is intended to gain the support of two Catalan separatist parties. The law provides Catalan independence politicians with the possibility of "resurrection". In fact, there were reports in May that Puigdemont was considering returning to Catalonia. However, the law does not apply to the charges against Puigdemont, which means that he will face the consequence of being arrested as soon as he returns to Spain. After the police learned of Puigdemont's return on August 8, they quickly launched a "cage"-style search, but Puigdemont also seemed to be "well prepared".
In essence, the solid foundation of independence in Catalonia is a hotbed for unrest. The results of the May 12 election only represent the political loss of independence forces, not the death knell of the independence movement. Puigdemont's return may incite a new wave of independence, and the new ruling Socialist Party certainly hopes to end the independence situation that has lasted for more than a decade.
The Paper reporter Nan Boyi and intern Zhang Chuhan
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