Background Catalan regional election, 2015

1 background

1.1 secessionist process
1.2 ciu breakup
1.3 run election

background
secessionist process

after 2012 regional election resulted in convergence , union (ciu) unexpectedly losing seats, president mas placed in difficult political position, fell 18 seats short of absolute majority. forced sign agreement republican left of catalonia (erc), in latter pledged support government, albeit without entering formal coalition, in return faster process obtain independence of catalonia.

president of catalonia artur mas , oriol junqueras, signing government agreement on 19 december 2012.

on 23 january 2013, parliament of catalonia adopted declaration of sovereignty , of right decide of catalan people, stated people of catalonia have—by reason of democratic legitimacy—the character of sovereign political , legal entity. declaration provisionally suspended constitutional court of spain on 8 may 2013, , on 25 march 2014 same court declared void , unconstitutional due fact spanish constitution of 1978 makes spanish people whole subject of sovereignty. @ same time, opinion polls began show erc topping voters preferences first time since 1932 catalan election, ciu vote declining result of 2012 election backlash, because of mas management of economic crisis , involvement of several ciu leading figures in several corruption scandals. among involved party founder jordi pujol, charged in tax fraud scandal related undeclared inheritance in andorra, accompanied allegations of bribery, embezzlement, breach of trust, influence peddling, forgery of documents , money laundering crimes allegedly committed during time president of catalonia.

on 12 december 2013, government of catalonia announced non-binding referendum on independence issue held on 9 november 2014, purpose of giving independence leaders political mandate negotiate spanish government. mariano rajoy s government stated shortly after intention block such referendum, considered unconstitutional , not within competences of autonomous community.

in spite of this, not legally sanctioned referendum held scheduled, on 80% voting independence, albeit on low turnout of around 40%. independence parties considered result success. artur mas explained in public act on 25 november plan reach independence, proposing calling extraordinary regional election—turned alternative vote on independence—at point during 2015, on condition erc agreed join common list party stand @ polls. erc leader oriol junqueras agreed of plan refused such joint list, threatening break government pact ciu in order force election in 2015. after weeks of calibrated brinkmanship both sides, cdc pushing joint candidature cover forecasted loss of support , erc refusing run artur mas presidential candidate, both parties reached agreement, , on 14 january 2015, mas announced snap regional election held on 27 september same year, intention turn in true plebiscite on independence.

aside pact hold extraordinary election, agreement included complete state structures basic element culminate process of national transition negotiation of budgets. mas , junqueras apologized rarefied political climate between pro-independence parties in negotiations had taken place during weeks prior announcement.

the spanish government, in response election announcement 8 months ahead of scheduled date, accused mas of having no interest in attending catalans problems, nor has capacity solve them . pp, psoe , upyd criticized announcement.

ciu breakup

tension within both parties forming ciu federation had reached all-time high in june 2015 due differences between positions democratic union of catalonia (udc) leadership , democratic convergence of catalonia (cdc) leader artur mas took on sovereignty process. cdc in favour of outright independence if meant breaking established spanish legality, while udc against doing without successful negotiation spanish government. result, vote held on 14 june 2015 between udc members, asking whether party should commit continue process establishing several conditions—including not violating legality in force through unilateral independence declarations—or starting constituent processes @ margin of legal norms. first option, supported udc leaders , contrary signed agreements between cdc, erc , sovereignty entities, approved udc members narrow 50.9% 46.1% choosing stand @ side of cdc. after this, cdc issued ultimatum udc latter decide within 2 or 3 days whether committed independence plan. on 17 june, after meeting of udc leadership, announced party withdrawing 3 of members government of generalitat of catalonia, although agreed maintain parliamentary stability until end of legislature. same day @ night, cdc national executive committee met , in press conference next day confirmed udc , cdc not stand in 2015 regional election, , political project of ciu federation over, spelling end of 37 years of cooperation between both parties convergence , union, coalition had dominated catalan politics since 1980s.

run election

on 3 august 2015, president of generalitat of catalonia, artur mas, signed election call decree 9 pm @ palau de la generalitat , later made appearance before cameras of catalan corporation of media highlighting extraordinariness of proposal s background, nonetheless did not mention word plebiscite. president justified extraordinary meaning of election after having unsuccessfully tried negotiate legal , agreed-to referendum government of spain. mas, however, did not mention how support did considered necessary proceeding independence process. pro-independence parties recognized plebiscitary character of election, other parties arguing that—acknowledging election s importance—it still election parliament of catalonia many others had been held in past. ppc, psc , c s, however, hinted on possibility of post-election pact curb independence process. spanish government said keep close watch closely legality of whole election process while demanding neutrality mas. mariano rajoy stated: there won t plebiscitary election, there wasn t referendum , in relation 9 november 2014 vote. several parties , media questioned legality of holding free way demonstration on 11 september, coincided start date of election campaign.