Catalan Leftists, National Assembly Members Want Puigdemont to Declare Independence

In an extraordinary session, Catalonia’s National Assembly, ANC, urged Carles Puigdemont to declare the region independent. They cited Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s "negative" speech earlier this week to the parliament and his decision to not carry forward dialogue between the region and the central government. 

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Rajoy said several times in his address that the actions leading up to the Oct. 1 referendum were illegal and that independence votes were "illegitimate" and "null." He sent Puigdemont a written ultimatum to either declare independence, in which case the central government would apply Article 155 of the Constitution and directly govern the region, among other “necessary measures.” The other option would be for Catalonia to pledge allegiance to Madrid. Puigdemont has until Oct. 19 to give his final decision. 

"It makes no sense to stall the declaration of independence," the ANC’s statement to Puigdemont read.

"We insist that (Puigdemont) implement the Law of Transition and Foundation of a Republic.”

This law would enable Catalonia to declare itself a democratic state with three national languages — Catalan, Spanish and Aranes — and the president of the National Assembly would become head of state, among other legal steps.

Leftist, pro-separatist parties Popular Unity Candidates, CUP, and Together for a Yes, TY reiterated the push for independence. They wrote to Puigdemont, urging him to declare independence. They are also meeting with him to formulate a response to the Spanish government.

Artur Mas, the director of Puigdemont’s political party, the Catalan European Democratic Party, said that declaring independence may not be the best way forward for the region. He told Catalan television station TV3 that "if a state proclaims itself independent and cannot act as such, it's an independence that is merely aesthetic."

Mas expressed a similarly vague response to Catalonia’s independence in an interview last week. Mas was president of the ANC until 2016. 

ANC President and Catalan police force director Jordi Sanchez, along with two social movement leaders accused of sedition by the national government, have been ordered to a hearing on Oct. 16 in Madrid.