The discomfort in part of the independence movement due to the lack of progress towards its final objective is behind a proposal that has generated, in turn, a notable rejection of the parties involved: promoting the abstention or the invalid vote in the general elections as there was no single list sovereign with a program of institutional blockade. An initiative with important internal consequences for the parties and before an election in which each vote will count. Those who believe in this protest argue that “Spain is not our problem”, but the parties, and even Cultural OmniumThey strongly reject the idea. He Council of the Republic He has also avoided asking for abstention.
It is not the first time, nor is it the only case of pro-independence abstentionism. Irish Sinn Féin does not hold the seats in London. But in Catalonia this has never happened, beyond the fact that the CUP has spent decades without running in a general election. This time it is the ANC that probably decides – after consulting the bases – to promote the abstention or the invalid vote (put a ballot of the 1-O referendum in the envelope). What he will not ask for in any case is the blank vote because this can be quantified to verify the success or failure of the campaign.
“We do not believe that Spain should be saved”
Dolors Feliu, president of the ANC, argues that the pro-independence parties are not fulfilling the objective of leading Catalonia to secede, nor are they coming together in Madrid to block Spanish institutions. After meeting with the parties, she stated: “Together and the CUP are for the confrontationbut the CUP does not see the unit listand ERC does not see the confrontation and not investing any president who does not accept self-determination”. The position closest to the Assembly is that of Junts. But since there is no unitary list, the entity will choose to ask the bases to endorse -or not- the invalid vote or abstention.
the assembly of omnium last Friday he proposed an amendment to the entire ANC. The leader of the organization Xavier Antichcriticized “the antipolitics and the populism” and came to say that the Assemblea proposal shakes hands with the State, which wants to make the independence movement “irrelevant”. Òmnium calls for overcoming the self-destructive stage of the movement.
The CUP, in the words of its deputy in Congress Albert Botranunderstands the discouragement of independence that this proposal can feed, but warns that the leadership of the ANC “works to give birth to a fourth gamebecause if it ends up promoting abstention, it is also to make room for this fourth candidacy”.
We want to break with the image that decisions are legitimately made for Catalonia and here we abide
Dolors Feliu, ANC
The consequences
And if abstention ends up benefiting, by electoral law, parties like Vox, because each seat can be obtained with fewer votes? Feliu replies: “The Barcelona’s town hall it’s a good lesson. They unite to deny you the right to self-determination and against everything that sounds like independence. Despite this hope that perhaps with the PSOE we will be better, we have already seen that they boast of ending the independence movement and of having applied the 155 “.
Does that mean that the PSOE does not matter with the current geometry of the PP’s pacts with Vox? “That is already entering the analysis of Spanish politics, which we will not enter. We do not believe that Spain should be saved. I already said it Josep Pla: what most resembles a left-wing spanish it’s a right-wing spanish. We can put more demons or paint them a darker or lighter color, because in reality the State has two types of carrots: the most stark repression and another that gives you a few crumbs.
“It is only appropriate for regional politics”
Behind the defense of abstentionism are profiles such as that of the former secretary of the Parliament Board for Junts Josep Costa, who believes that these proposals are the result of discontent and pro-independence disaffection: “To do regional politics it is convenient to be in Congress, but to do break policythe votes that you have less or more will not help you at all because nobody has wanted them in previous periods”, ditch Costa.
The former president of the ANC Elisenda Paluzieunder whose mandate a abstentionist amendmentdoubts about what 23-J will do: “Experience tells us that the pro-independence parties do not know how to put high prices on the Government. What could prevent a PP and Vox government with a program openly contrary to freedoms? “Yes, with this government things will harden, and perhaps then in Catalonia a remobilization and one reaction. It’s not the ‘the worse the better‘ But the toughest governments, the absolute majorities of Aznar, for example, have generated a positive reaction. The problem of bringing fascists to the institutions is their problem, we have others.”
Infantilisimo and shot in the foot
The new signing of ERC in the generals, the journalist and writer Francesc-Marc Alvarocould not be more clear against the idea of leaving the Madrid square vacant due to an internal malaise of the independence movement: “He is intellectually naive and frivolous from the civic point of view. antipolitics and eliminates you from the game, you are more irrelevant”. Moreover, he believes that it is counterproductive because it can give more space to small parties in Catalonia like vox. And he denies that nothing is achieved in Congress: “Yes, things are achieved, not all of those that are wanted at once or at the speed that they would like, but it is funny that whoever says it is those who have voted for options that have been profile position”.
Botran, for his part, recalls that the bases of the CUP They have endorsed, with more votes than four years ago, running for the 23-J elections. And he argues that if it is intended activate the independence movement with abstention, the opposite can be achieved: “The result will be that there will be better results for right-wing and Spanish parties, it does not paint a better picture for anyone. There is something worse for the independence movement than not knowing how to use its force, and that is that it does not have no force. The battle must be fought everywhere.”
Abstention is intellectually naive and frivolous from a civic point of view, it is anti-political
Francesc-Marc Álvaro, ERC
Junts has welcomed with discomfort that the ANC approves his abstentionist commitment, but he does share the thesis of not inaugurating any president who does not accept self-determination, and he also views the unitary list well. Junts’ candidate for the Senate, Toni Castellarejects the abstention also firmly: “I understand that there are many angry people, but the pro-independence abstentionism is the great dream of spanish nationalism, the big parties have discussed reforming the electoral law so that Basques and Catalans do not exist. The most abstention is a shot in the foot, absurd.”
I understand that there are many angry people, but abstentionism is the great dream of Spanish nationalism
Toni Castellà, Together
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But Castellà does buy part of the ANC’s argument about influence in Madrid: “This is a problem for Spain, it is not a problem for Catalonia, we are not going to give stability to any Spanish government because it is not part of our program to reform or save Spain”. The opinion of Castellà, who is part of the Council of the Republiccoincides with that of this entity that leads Carlos Puigdemont and that he asks to vote to “block” the investiture in Madrid, whoever the possible government is, as long as it does not commit to “a political solution” to the sovereign conflict.
Asking Castellà if he would not favor stability to avoid the extreme right or fascism, he replied: “I am an internationalist and I also want him to never govern even in Greece neither Portugal neither Burundithe priority is to put an end to the annihilation, repression and dependence of Catalonia”, he argues. Alvaro responds bluntly: “This childlike attitude of this does not go with me, it reminds little children when they are afraid and say that the monster is not there. “I dispute that it is not a political imperative to fight against fascism,” he adds. extreme right It is a danger always and everywhere.”