The broken toy of the ‘procés’, by Andreu Claret

The Diada was conditioned by a political bomb, launched by Xavier Antich, president of Òmnium, who rather called for moderation, and ended with another, of a radical nature, released by Dolors Feliupresident of the Catalan National Assembly, in line with the populism that travels half the world. Antich defended the need to overcome the story of the ‘procés’. ‘Let’s stop entertaining ourselves with October 1,’ he proposed, while asking for a new strategy for independence. The president of Òmnium is a philosopher and knows the value of words. He knows that putting aside the ‘procés’ does not mean just replacing one story with another. He has abused the so-called ‘1-O mandate’ so much that there is no way to throw out the dirty water without the child going down the drain. Carles Puigdemont, which has made the defense of this mandate the reason for its survival, picked up the gauntlet. At the doors of the Diada he called to ‘achieve what we decided on October 1’.

With differences of this caliber, backed by Esquerra Republicana and Junts per Catalunya, respectively, the Diada threatened to be a battle between these two strategies. Continue with 1-O, do it again, or turn the page, with all that this entails. Among others, the danger of leave in exile to those who left instead of assuming their responsibilities. The protesters called by the ANC captured the debate. The 1-O and Puigdemont were the most chanted names. Until Feliu dropped another artifact, in the final speech. He threatened a ‘civic list’ for the next elections, encouraging cries of ‘Govern resigned’. Another way, from the most radical sector, of considering that the ‘procés’ is a broken toy that no longer serves the goals of independence. All this, underthe circumspect gaze of Jordi Turullthe leader of Together.

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Without a unitary roadmap to adhere to, the Diada was in danger of settling these differences in the street. Only the absence of the Republican leaders of the demonstration called by the ANC prevented greater evils. What would have happened if Pere Aragonès attended, with slogans of ‘Puigdemont president’ and ‘Government resigns’? It would probably have been the end of a government that neither of the two major independence parties wants to resign from, at least until the municipal elections.

It may be too soon to say that the ‘procés’ is dead, as most of the leaders of the Esquerra Republicana think. The thousands and thousands of demonstrators who attended the ANC demonstration, less than at the beginning of the procés, but more than last year, they speak of deep disaffection towards Spain that continues to exist in broad sectors of Catalan society. Meanwhile, until the fifth anniversary of 1-O, Puigdemont and Junts per Catalunya will continue to use the street, and the Parliament, to weaken Aragonès. A way to prepare the municipal ones, where the fight for hegemony within the independence movement will be settled.

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