Catalonia Independence Referendum

[Conrad82]

Originally Posted by Conrad82
I sure hope they will. Or rather I hope they make Spanish the MAIN working language in schools.

#625 October 11, 2017 - It has been a long time since I wrote,
"In my opinion, there is only one way to deal forever with the Catalan problem...
Spain should ban the teaching of Catalan language in the schools. The teaching of the Catalan history should be forbidden in schools. Ban the use of Catalan names. Ban books published in Catalan. Symbols of Catalan nationalism should be removed from public view. Change the names of the streets that are in Catalan to a Castilian name. Ban expressions of Catalan language, traditional dance and culture, and religious practice".
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Let's keep in mind that Franco was determined to suppress the Catalan language. He tried to implement a cultural homogenization and failed.

You had 6 days and the only thing you could come up with is yet another inane attempt at labelling me a francoist.

But you can do something useful and translate this to English:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/democra...uiza-/43563518

I will help you and quote the relevant part:

¿Qué ocurriría si en algún momento un cantón pretendiera separarse de la Confederación o adherirse a un país vecino? No podría proceder como lo ha hecho Cataluña, sostiene David Hesse, el autor del artículoEnlace externo. “La Constitución Federal enumera explícitamente los 26 cantones que conforman el Estado. Eliminar uno de ellos requeriría una enmienda constitucional y esta tendría que ser sometida a votación nacional”, o sea, a todos los ciudadanos suizos.

Alright, to sum it up, unilateral secession is illegal in Switzerland just the same as in Spain.

It must really suck when each and every one of your arguments is revealed to be complete garbage at one point or another.

Besides that, we will impatiently wait for your condemnatin of the UK for definitvely siding with the opressors!

http://en.zappingnews.net/federacion...-lazo-catalan/

English Federation opens file to Guardiola for Catalan independence tie

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...deserve-prison

German Investors Tell Catalan Separatists They Deserve Prison

Catalan lawmakers must accept the legal consequences if they refuse to obey Spanish law, the head of an association for German executives in the region said.


“We want a strong Catalonia, we invested here and we want security,” Albert Peters, chairman of the Barcelona-based Circle of German-Speaking Businessmen in Catalonia, told Onda Cero radio in an interview Wednesday. “Everyone must comply with the constitution, and if not, then that person should be taken to court.”


Peters said he hopes the new government of Catalonia changes course after ousted President Carles Puigdemont led a drive to declare independence from Spain last year. His association represents more than 200 executives and its sponsors include firms such as BASF SE and chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli AG, according to its website.


At a tense lunch in Barcelona on Tuesday, some members of the association attacked the pro-independence speaker of Catalan parliament Roger Torrent over the secession campaign. One accused the separatist leaders of trying to take Catalonia back to the middle ages and was applauded when he said they should all go to jail, according to a video of the event posted by Eldiario.es.


Torrent is trying to find an approach that doens’t clash with the constitution, Peters told Onda Cero. “I think many deputies in Catalonia have learned the lesson.”
Puigdemont and other ousted members of the Catalan government face probes for sedition and rebellion following last October’s unilateral declaration of independence. Puigdemont remains in self-imposed exile in Belgium and faces arrest if he returns to Spain.
Large German investors in Catalonia include Volkswagen AG, whose Seat unit at Martorell near Barcelona employs about 12,000 people.
The Catalan parliament is set to hold a vote on March 12 to elect the next regional president after Puigdemont announced he would step aside. The candidate put forward by Torrent is Jordi Sanchez, a former head of the pro-independence campaign group ANC who is being held in prison on remand and will need permission from a judge to stand in next week’s vote.
“The president of Catalonia has a duty to give reassurance and rebuild Catalonia,” Peters said.

I think those are some of the people who were going to fight each other to invest in Catalonia if it became independent or something like that.

[Ludicus]

http://en.zappingnews.net/federacion...-lazo-catalan/
English Federation opens file to Guardiola for Catalan independence tie

A yellow ribbon in support of the four Catalan prisoners does not represent any political affiliation and is not a symbol of Catalan independence. Curiously, Manchester City's position is that by accepting the charge, Guardiola is not apologising for wearing the ribbon, but instead observing the rules of the FA. More than that, in their response to the FA charge, Manchester City have highlighted what they believe to be the inconsistency of the rules, as there is no UEFA stipulation to stop managers wearing such a ribbon.
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German Investors Tell Catalan Separatists They Deserve Prison

Well,we must always obey our masters,

another inane attempt at labelling me a francoist.

Are you a francoist? it really doesn't matter. Just out of curiosity, how is this possible?



Cara Al Sol is the Franco's Fascist party anthem. Without comments,



The Stern is shocked and appalled, "Cara al Sol" Warum eine faschistische Hymne die spanischen Viral ...

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This is getting more and more interesting,
Guardian Catalan leader cannot leave jail to attend debate, court rules | World ...

Spain’s supreme court has ruled that the jailed Catalan independence leader chosen to run for the regional presidency cannot leave prison to attend an investiture debate next week.

Jordi Sànchez, the former head of the influential grassroots organisation Catalan National Assembly (ANC), has been in custody for five months

[Conrad82]

A yellow ribbon in support of the four Catalan prisoners does not represent any political affiliation and is not a symbol of Catalan independence.

No, it is not a political symbol. It's a trend, every cool person wears one.

Manchester City have highlighted what they believe to be the inconsistency of the rules, as there is no UEFA stipulation to stop managers wearing such a ribbon.

There is no UEFA stipulation to stop managers from going naked to stadiums either. Can they go naked, Ludicus?
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Well,we must always obey our masters,

One more enlightened, ingenious, clever answer, in short typical of you, to avoid confronting the fact that German investors are rightly angry about the situation, those same investors who are creating jobs and helping enrich Catalonia while the parasites that governed it made even Catalan companies leave.

They are also francoist, right?

Are you a francoist? it really doesn't matter. Just out of curiosity, how is this possible?

I am glad to help, Ludicus. Here is the explanation. Btw, it took me around 10 seconds to find it:

https://verne.elpais.com/verne/2018/...33_464363.html

The Stern is shocked and appalled, "Cara al Sol" Warum eine faschistische Hymne die spanischen Viral ...

I, however, am far more shocked and appalled that no one in the Stern was able to find the same explanation it took me ten seconds to find. Or maybe they didn't really want to...

This is getting more and more interesting,

Indeed. Interesting the amount of time an entire group of people can remain in a fantasy world of their own making.

[Ludicus]

Here is the explanation. Btw, it took me around 10 seconds to find it

Really? what they say? and...have you checked the video? its self-explanatory.
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Let's go back to last January,
El "Ipno de Moderdonia" desbanca al "Cara al sol" en Spotify

Para este humorista, es "tristísimo" que el "Cara al sol" se convirtiese en una de las canciones más escuchadas del país. "Quizá porque es pegadiza, que es lo que más rabia de todo me da. Pero lo que demuestra es que en este país hay heridas mal cerradas"

to avoid confronting the fact that German investors are rightly angry about the situation..."German Investors Tell Catalan Separatists They Deserve Prison"

1) That's not how democracy works. I sense here a democratic deficit, deeply rooted in the perpetuation of a intelectual submission to an authoritarian rule.
2) As I said before, feel free to obey your masters.

an entire group of people can remain in a fantasy world of their own making

I know that illusion is an integral part of Miguel de Cervantes'Don Quixote. Ironically, that same applies to Rajoy.
Rajoy points at a copy of "Don Quixote" which he presented to Carles Puigdemont,



It backfired, the electoral results are not a fantasy.
....
From the news,

Madrid removes Catalan high ranking official - Catalan News

...Molons is under investigation by a Barcelona court along some 30 officials. Meanwhile, Spain’s Supreme Court is also investigating another 30 people related to the independence cause—the most senior ones, such as Puigdemont and his ministers—, with Spain’s National Court overseeing an open inquiry into the Catalan police leadership.

30 x2 = 60. Not bad at all.

[Conrad82]

Really? what they say? and...have you checked the video? its self-explanatory.

Ludicus, while discussing about Spotify's songs is undoubtely fascinating, I would like you to explain what exactly it has to do with the topic at hand, that is, Catalonian separatism. Once you do, I will endeavour to make you understand the difference between "most listened song" and "song who increased the most in streamings", something which I see you have trouble understanding.

2) As I said before, feel free to obey your masters.

As I said before, repeating the same inane comments over and over again because you don't have anything else to fill your posts won't help make those same comments come true.

By the way, I have looked for the news about the separatist workers employed by these german companies resigning in protest for their boss calling on separatists to be jailed (the logical thing to happen) but couldn't find any. Did you?

I sense here a democratic deficit, deeply rooted in the perpetuation of a intelectual submission to an authoritarian rule.

You must be of course talk about Germans, who inhabit one of the most democratic countries in the world. Or, rather, this is what we thought until you debunked this myth!

1) That's not how democracy works.

Sadly your view on how democracy should work and how most people think democracy should work are decidley two different things

I know that illusion is an integral part of Miguel de Cervantes'Don Quixote. Ironically, that same applies to Rajoy.
Rajoy points at a copy of "Don Quixote" which he presented to Carles Puigdemont,

Yes, ironic that Catalan separatists seem to have read this book - written by a Castilian author - far too much, to the point they have created a paralel fantasy world just as Don Quijote did!

It backfired, the electoral results are not a fantasy.

Yes, an unionist party won the elections, less than half voted for separatist parties back then, less Catalans want independence today, many separatist politicians are either in prison waiting to bend over before a judge and say they won't fool around again, either not in prison but shaking in their boots at the idea of being arrested, or out of Spain looking for shelter. Truly one hell of a backfire!

30 x2 = 60. Not bad at all.

Nope, not bad at all. Still more to go tough. I take you didn't care to check what exactly they were accused of, just as you didn't care in the case of the Jordis, right?

[Ludicus]

You must be of course talk about Germans, who inhabit one of the most democratic countries in the world

.Absolutely disgusting to hear you say "Investors Tell X or Y they Deserve Prison".I'm talking about you.What you said reveals a complete lack of democratic culture, and it seems that in some countries (and minds) neoliberalism has developed in a context of arrested democracy.

they have created a paralel fantasy

Are you still living in denial? I know,the electoral results are hard to swallow.Voters backed pro-independence parties, and the Spanish government showed complete disregard for the electoral results.
(And again.I'm not pro or against the independence:I'm pro-referendum).Talking about fantasy, it seems to me that Rajoy isn't Alexander the Great, how can he cut the Gordian knot to prevent Catalonia independence? simple answer:jailing Catalan Mps.I wonder why pro-independence parties can still be elected...

60,not bad at all. Still more to go tough

Sure. Half of the Catalan population,I presume.
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Thinking about it, how ironic is to suggest that an "independent Scotland should be ejected from the EU". Rajoy, 2013,
"Scotland would immediately be ejected from the European Union were it to vote for independence in the forthcoming referendum, according to the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, in comments clearly directed at Catalan nationalists who want the right to hold their own vote on secession from Spain"
Times are changing, Scotland would not have automatically right to become a new member, but...Scotland rejoining EU 'could be speedy' (2017)
In fact, Sturgeon will call a second independence referendum in the next autumn. I'm quite certain that not a single Scottish politician would be sent to jail in any circumstances. How different is the democratic culture in the UK...

[Conrad82]

.Absolutely disgusting to hear you say "Investors Tell X or Y they Deserve Prison".I'm talking about you.What you said reveals a complete lack of democratic culture, and it seems that in some countries (and minds) neoliberalism has developed in a context of arrested democracy.

You appear to still not got it, so I will say it in other words: what you say or think about me is completely worthless. I don't give a crap about it any more than I would give a crap if it was said by a neonazi, an islamist or any other people. I laugh at your veiled insults, just as I laugh at your "democratic culture", which makes you think that it is perfectly okay for 48% of a territory's population to decide this territory should be independent regardless of the opinion of the other 52% and the rest of the people this territory belongs to. I laugh at your "democratic culture" which makes you completely disregard the abuses committed by the separatists against the non-separatists. I laught at your belief your stand on the moral high ground. And I also laugh at your incapacity to debate about this issue in a decent manner, since the only thing you are able to do when your arguments are debunked is to simply ignore it and come up with new arguments, which are themselves debunked and so on. You know, there is a number of people who believe the Earth is flat (they even held a congress recently). They, also, must lament the ignorance of those (99% of the world's population) who believe the Earth is round. Do you believe I would have cared about it, Ludicus?

Are you still living in denial? I know,the electoral results are hard to swallow.Voters backed pro-independence parties, and the Spanish government showed complete disregard for the electoral results.

Yes, it's hard to swallow that less than half (and going down) want independence. Man, I can't even sleep!

(And again.I'm not pro or against the independence:I'm pro-referendum)

.Talking about fantasy, it seems to me that Rajoy isn't Alexander the Great, how can he cut the Gordian knot to prevent Catalonia independence? simple answer:jailing Catalan Mps.I wonder why pro-independence parties can still be elected...

To tell the truth, it wouldn't have taken cutting the Gordian Knot to stop the "procés". Separatist leaders are so stupid, that their project was bound to fail even if the Spanish judges (JUDGES, remember) hadn't intervened. I guess that wherever you live right now you didn't hear about separatist leaders saying that the procés was actually never meant to be serious, right?

Half of the Catalan population I presume

That includes the Catalan separatist leaders who work as MPs in the national parliament and are paid (and paid well) for it while at the same time complaining about the terrible oppression and jailing suffered by Catalans??

Ludicus, I'm confused... if Madrid wishes nothing more than jailing all the separatists... why does it not begin by those ones, who are the closest??

[Thinking about it, how ironic is to suggest that an "independent Scotland should be ejected from the EU". Rajoy, 2013,
"Scotland would immediately be ejected from the European Union were it to vote for independence in the forthcoming referendum, according to the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, in comments clearly directed at Catalan nationalists who want the right to hold their own vote on secession from Spain"
Times are changing, Scotland would not have automatically right to become a new member, but...Scotland rejoining EU 'could be speedy' (2017)
In fact, Sturgeon will call a second independence referendum in the next autumn. I'm quite certain that not a single Scottish politician would be sent to jail in any circumstances. How different is the democratic culture in the UK...

And yet you show again a lack of knowledge which I will be pleased to remedy, and in an entertaining way nonethless!! A game!

Ludicus, why would Scottish pro-independence not be jailed and the EU not have any problem with Scotland joining the EU again?

a) Scots make good whiskey
b) There was Braveheart, so the Britons are afraid to jail them.
c) Scots didn't hold an illegal referendum
d) The UK will soon stop to be a EU country, which means Scotland will also leave the UE if it does not become independent

Take your time, Ludicus. I know it may seem hard - and I should point out that there may be more than one valid answer - but I trust you will not fail!

[Ludicus]

Yes, it's hard to swallow that less than half (and going down) want independence...48% of a territory's population to decide this territory should be independent regardless of the opinion of the other 52%

Political contortionism and lack of intellectual honesty has limits. Wake up, independentists won the elections and they maintained their absolute majority in parliament.
Final results .check the link.
Learn the math,
Independentists: JUntsxCAT 948.233 + CUP 195.246+ ERC 935.861= 2.079 million
Pro-Union: C's 1.109.732 + PSC 606.659 +PP 185.670 = 1.902 million

Pro-Referendum: CATComú-Podem 326.360
En Comú Podem proposa un referèndum sobre la independència de ...

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Scots didn't hold an illegal referendum

In fact,UK is not afraid of the popular vote, and doesn't hide behind a Spanish style constitution. Spain subverts and represses the democratic decisions of the electoral results.

I will be pleased to remedy, and in an entertaining way nonethless!! A game!

I'm allergic to stupidity.

Scotland will also leave the UE if it does not become independent

Irrelevant, Sturgeon recently said that a second referendum on Brexit is becoming "hard to resist"(sic).
And of course,
SNP urges Spain to 'respect' Catalan vote - BBC News

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From the news,

'They can't put us all in prison': violent protests erupt in Catalonia after arrest of separatist leaders

Shamefur Dispray, Europe, your silence is deafening. Hmm, will the US call emergency UN Security council meeting as it did for Iran?

[Akrotatos]

In fact,UK is not afraid of the popular vote, and doesn't hide behind a Spanish style constitution. Spain subverts and represses the democratic decisions of the electoral results.

We have been through this before. Comparing Scotland with Catalonia is wrong. Scotland is one of the two parties that agreed form the United Kingdom. Plus there was no law that denied a referendum. In Spain the equivalent for this comparison would be Aragon but it now does not exist as a Kingdom as its split in provinces. Catalonia is one of those provinces of former Aragon. That’s it. And Spanish constitution specifically forbids referendums of independence in one region only much like Switzerland as Conrad informed you. I dare say Switzerland is one of the most democratic places in the world.

[mishkin]

In case someone is still genuinely interested in this grotesque show:

Reuters: Former Catalan leader Puigdemont detained in Germany

"Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was detained on Sunday in Germany four months after he went into self-imposed exile from Spain, where he faces up to 25 years in prison for organizing an illegal referendum on secession last year".

Apparently Mr. Puigdemont is accused in spain of crimes that are also considered such in germany. (Hence his detention in germany and not in belgium or finland, as far as I know).

[Ludicus]

Spanish constitution specifically forbids referendums of independence... as Conrad informed you.

Don't say
We know that, Akrokatos. And again, Rajoy hides behind the constitution.





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German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung has published a report ( follow the link) - that is highly critical of the way the Spanish government is handling the conflict with Catalonia.

The ruthless repression by the judiciary against pacifist politicians who have been legitimized by free elections is not worthy of a democracy.
The attempt to dismantle a democratic mass movement through prison sentences and ruinous fines has led to the radicalization of some Catalans, especially the young.
The collective memory of Catalans is still determined by the repression of the Franco regime. And Rajoy, and undoubtedly Felipe VI, whose father was a Francoist, should now get closer to the Catalans.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung also calls for other EU countries to pressure Spain behind the scenes...

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Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont held by German police | World ...

Puigdemont had covered 808 miles (1,300km) of the 1243-mile car journey when he was stopped at 11.19am, apparently at a petrol station near Schuby on the A7 motorway, 31 miles into German territory, according to his lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas.
According to German media reports, the arrest was made following a tipoff from Spain’s intelligence agency to German federal police’s Sirene bureau – part of a network of information-sharing units for national police in the Schengen area.
There is no such crime as rebellion under German law, but there is a crime of high treason, defined as using force or the threat of force to undermine the constitutional order. It carries penalties of from 10 years to life imprisonment. The Catalan UDI was entirely peaceful, if unlawful, although the Spanish authorities may argue that there was an implicit threat of force. The crime of sedition was dropped from German law in the 1970s.
The arrest warrant was reactivated on Friday, as were similar warrants for the other fugitives, Lluís Puig, Meritxell Serret and Toni Comín, who are all in Belgium, and Clara Ponsati, currently in Scotland, where she is teaching at the University of St Andrews.
Warrants were also issued for the arrest of Marta Rovira, secretary general of the secessionist Republican Left party, and Anna Gabriel of the radical Popular Unity Candidacy, both of whom have sought refuge in Switzerland.
On Friday the supreme court judge Pablo Llarena remanded Jordi Turull, the third and latest candidate for the vacant Catalan presidency, and four others, among them the former speaker of the Catalan parliament, in custody. They join Oriol Junqueras, leader of Republican Left, and three others already held on remand in Madrid jails.

Sadly, this is not going to end well.

[mishkin]

Sadly, this is not going to end well.

What do you mean?

[Yayattasa]

Doing a referendum is the most democratic thing in a democracy. Forbidding people from asking the opinion of the masses is one of the most undemocratic actions a State can take.

[mishkin]

And what about appropriating public money to celebrate your own referendum? Is that cool too?

[Alastor]

Doing a referendum is the most democratic thing in a democracy. Forbidding people from asking the opinion of the masses is one of the most undemocratic actions a State can take.

That depends on your flavour of democracy now doesn't it? Spain AFAIK is not a direct democracy. No modern western democracy is. Luckily, in light of how easy it is to manipulate public opinion and steal a vote. A la Cambridge Analytica/Brexit/Trump. We don't have direct democracies for a (lot of) reason(s). It's time people realize this and drop this referendum-fetish. Or at least drop the facade and call what they promote by its more appropriate name, majoritarianism.

[Akrotatos]

That depends on your flavour of democracy now doesn't it? Spain AFAIK is not a direct democracy. No modern western democracy is. Luckily, in light of how easy it is to manipulate public opinion and steal a vote. A la Cambridge Analytica/Brexit/Trump. We don't have direct democracies for a (lot of) reason(s). It's time people realize this and drop this referendum-fetish. Or at least drop the facade and call what they promote by its more appropriate name, majoritarianism.

I disagree - Switzerland proves that having referendums works just fine. There just needs to be the proper organisation for them. A referendum organised by one side against the constitution & law and with no control or oversight is not that way and it's not direct democracy, it's rule of the mob.

And way to go ignoring the rest of my post Ludicus. By all means keep comparing the incomparable.

[Ludicus]

What do you mean?

Sadly, what's going on already. Expresso | Manifestações pela libertação de Puigdemont em
Thousands take to the streets to demand Puigdemont's release after his detention in Germany, 52 injured, four arrested. Check the videos.





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Historically, secession has often been associated with war/violence, but it has been argued that in democratic states, and especially within the European Union, peaceful secession - or at least a peaceful referendum - is possible. Is it?



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I'm speculating, but there are cheap flights from Finland to Belgium.

[Copperknickers II]

Horrific. One part of the EU extraditing a political prisoner to another and Brussels does nothing to stop it. And to top it off, Scotland of all places is also complicit in this crime against democracy, since we are extraditing another senior Catalan politician. When the UK refuses to recognise the results of Scottish Indyref 2 and arrests Nicola Sturgeon she may wish she had done a little more to prevent this. It starts with Catalonia but believe me, it will get much worse. Southern Europe is veering dangerously back towards its authoritarian days. It's interesting that Turkey's quest to enter the EU is going so poorly. A corrupt, impoverished authoritarian regime where people are arrested and beaten in the streets for trying to exercise democracy? Sounds like they'd fit right in.

[mishkin]

So far seventy-five injured protesters. My solidarity with them (the images show that the violence was totally unjustified, as is often the case), and my condemnation of the director of the mosos d'esquadra (Catalan autonomic police) put in office by the Madrid government and the brutality of a police (mossos) whose history of ultraviolent behavior is well known.

Leaving last night violence aside, convening a unilateral referendum of independence is illegal in almost all countries (if not all). If considering that the central state (the Spanish government in this case) does not leave a group another option than holding a referendum of this type (illegal), I think thats ok (regardless of the misuse that can be made of money and public institutions), but it would be logical to abide by the consequences of having committed an illegality.

[Ludicus]

So far, protests leave nearly 100 injured and 9 arrested across Catalonia.

St Andrews hits out at Spanish bid to extradite Catalan academic

St Andrews University has described an attempt by Spanish judges to extradite a Catalan academic as a politically motivated attack on free speech.
Prof Sally Mapstone, the principal of St Andrews, said the university was deeply concerned by the extradition application issued on Friday against Clara Ponsatí, an economist at the university.
As condemnation of Spain’s actions grew to include implied criticism from Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, Mapstone said: “Clara is a valued colleague and we are committed to protect and support her.
“As her employer and an institution committed to the defence of free speech, we are deeply concerned by recent developments, their motives and potential consequences.
“In the current circumstances, we believe there are legitimate arguments that Clara is being targeted for standing up for her political beliefs. That is anathema to us, and we will continue to offer her every appropriate support, while respecting due legal process

Catalan crisis causing problems for Rajoy over budget plans

Spanish government fails to achieve necessary support from key party due to situation in Catalonia The Spanish government is still short of support to be able to pass its budget plan for 2018, as not all parties are in agreement over the matter due to the ongoing situation in Catalonia.
With the seriousness of the political, legal, and human situation in Catalonia, it seems to us to be frivolous and irresponsible to talk about budgets,” PNB sources stated.
The Spanish government is to meet on Tuesday to approve the budget, yet without PNB’s support it won't be able to finalize the process.

The generalized hypocrisy: Catalans can vote for anyone they want, but the leaders elected cannot govern. They go to jail.

Spain desperately needs a constitutional overhaul, a referendum, and, as the song says, que sera, sera- what will be will be. Ah, how I miss Doris Day




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Edit. The German press isn't happy.Carles Puigdemont Should Not Be Charged with Rebellion - SPIEGEL ...

Carles Puigdemont: Was passiert mit Deutschlands ... - Die Welt
Use google translate. it's about the troubling politicization of Spain’s judiciary - as I said repeatedly.

Madrid wird immer wieder vorgeworfen, die Justiz politisch zu nutzen. Was steckt hinter dem Vorwurf?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Der Vorwurf ist nicht von der Hand zu weisen. Denn tatsächlich hat Spaniens Verfassungsgericht der konservativen Regierung von Ministerpräsident Mariano Rajoy in der Katalonienfrage stets zugearbeitet. 2010 ließ das Gericht den Satz, dass Katalonien eine „Nation“ sei, aus dem Autonomiestatut streichen, es war der Beginn des Konflikts.

Problematisch ist auch, dass stets die jeweiligen politischen Mehrheitsverhältnisse bei der Ernennung der Richter ausschlaggebend sind. So werden von den zwölf Mitgliedern des Verfassungsgerichts vier vom Parlament, vier vom Senat und zwei von der Regierung ernannt. Nur zwei Kandidaten werden von einem Richtergremium benannt. Aus diesem Grund hat der Europarat schon mehrmals vor eine Politisierung der Justiz in Spanien gewarnt. Auch Ex-Premier Felipe González hat sich jetzt zu Wort gemeldet und davor gewarnt, politische Probleme mit juristischen Mitteln zu lösen

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Edit II

The Times - Spain Again

Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s prime minister, has taken no real steps to comprehend why such a significant proportion of Catalans hope for independence. Madrid needs to start speaking to its opponents and stop seeking to put them in jail

German judge in first Puigdemont hearing says extradition may be ...

The German judge who yesterday interrogated Carles Puigdemont in the local court of Neumünster has stated that the extradition may be considered “inadmissible", and as such it could be denied.

The judge's interim order says "there is no doubt that the contents of the European arrest warrant suggest that the extradition of the person sought could be considered inadmissible after a thorough investigation, taking into account all the legal questions involved."

However, the judge, who only carried out the initial formalities of identification and taking Puigdemont's statement, is not competent to decide whether or not the exiled Catalan president will be handed over to Spain. Her role is to ensure that the arrest was made correctly and that the right person was detained. The judge has thus only issued an opinion.

The opinion of the German judge of first instance arrives on the same day as the UN's Human Rights Committee has formally accepted the Puigdemont's case on the "violation" of his political rights in Spain. The text of the claim, entitled Puigdemont versus Spain, states the rights that have been violated by the Spanish institutions:...

... With Tuesday's decision, the Spanish state is once again in the news in relation to the United Nations, following last Friday's announcement from the global body that the Spanish government needed to respect the political rights of the imprisoned Catalan leader JordiSànchez.