Atlantic Sentinel

Tag: Catalan Election 2017

Regional elections were held in Catalonia on December 21. The liberal-unionist Citizens placed first with 25 percent support, but the separatist Together for Catalonia, Republican Left and Popular Unity Candidacy defended their majority of seventy out of 135 seats.

  • Both Sides Claim Victory in Catalonia

    Palau de la Generalitat Barcelona Spain
    Palace of the Catalan regional government in Barcelona, Spain at night (iStock/Tomas Sereda)

    Both separatists and unionists are claiming victory in Catalonia after the election on Thursday gave a majority of the seats (seventy out of 135) but not the votes (47.5 percent) to the former.

    The view from abroad is that nobody won. (more…)

  • What Happens Next in Catalonia?

    Barcelona Spain
    View of the Palau Nacional from downtown Barcelona, Spain, December 29, 2013 (CucombreLibre)

    Separatist parties defended their majority in Catalonia’s regional parliament on Thursday, but only by a whisker. The parties that want to secede from Spain won seventy out of 135 seats against 57 for the unionists.

    Catalonia in Common, a left-wing party that rejects both independence and Spain’s suspension of Catalan home rule, won the remaining eight seats. (more…)

  • Separatists Defend Majority in Catalan Election

    Plaça de Sant Jaume Barcelona Spain
    Early morning in Plaça de Sant Jaume, Barcelona, seat of the Catalan regional government (iStock)
    • Separatists defended their majority in Catalonia’s regional parliament on Thursday.
    • Parties that want to secede from Spain won seventy of the 135 seats against 57 for unionists.
    • The remaining eight seats went to Catalonia in Common, a left-wing party that supports self-determination but opposes independence. (more…)

  • Catalan Election Day Live Blog and Reading List

    On Thursday, the Atlantic Sentinel will be providing live analysis and commentary of the election in Catalonia.

    In addition to updating you on the results, our focus will be on analysis and opinion. We’ll be reading the local, European and international coverage of the election and share (and where necessary translate) interesting takes for you.

    I hope you’ll join us! We’ll kick off around noon Central European Time. (more…)

  • Catalan Election Guide

    Palau de la Generalitat Barcelona Spain
    Palace of the Catalan regional government in Barcelona, Spain at night (iStock/Tomas Sereda)

    Catalans will elect a new regional parliament on December 21. Here is everything you need to know about the election. (more…)

  • Polls Vindicate Puigdemont’s Decision to Form Separatist List

    Carles Puigdemont appears to have made the right decision forming a new political entity, called Together for Catalonia, as opposed to leading his center-right European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) into next month’s election.

    Two recent polls, one published in El Periódico, the other in ABC newspaper, give the deposed president’s list almost 17 percent support.

    That puts it neck and neck with the liberal Citizens and mainstream Socialist Party — both of which oppose Catalan independence — for second place.

    Together for Catalonia uses PDeCAT’s infrastructure but has drawn candidates from civil society. (more…)

  • Catalan Socialists Choose Opposition Over Deal with Separatists

    Catalonia’s Socialists have taken themselves out of contention for the next coalition government by refusing deals with parties that, in the words of leader Miquel Iceta, have taken the region “to the brink of the abyss.”

    Even if the European Democratic Party and the Republican Left, which jointly ruled Catalonia until the regional government was dissolved by Madrid, renounce secession, the Socialists would still not partner with them, Iceta said in a television interview.

    Nor would he commit to a unionist pact with center-right parties, thus condemning the Socialists to four more years in opposition. (more…)

  • Pro- and Anti-Independence Parties Fail to Unite in Catalonia

    Oriol Junqueras
    Oriol Junqueras, the leader of Catalonia’s Republican Left, makes a speech in Barcelona, Spain, July 20, 2015 (CDC)

    Catalan parties in favor and opposed to seceding from Spain have failed to unite in time for the election in December.

    A unionist list proposed by the liberal Ciudadanos has been rejected by the Socialists and People’s Party.

    A separatist alliance fell apart when the Republican Left conditioned it on the participation of other left-wing parties. (more…)

  • Catalonia’s Far Left Could Hold the Key to Independence

    Catalonia’s far left could hold the key to independence after the next regional election.

    Snap elections are likely in the next few months, whether called by the regional government to preempt the suspension of home rule or by the Spanish government once home rule is suspended

    Polls suggest the ruling center-right European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) will trade places with its junior partner, the Republican Left.

    But the balance between pro- and anti-independence parties could be unchanged — unless Catalonia in Common (Barcelona mayor Ada Colau’s party) and Podem (the Catalan branch of Podemos) change sides. (more…)