The Case of the Catalans by Clara Ponsati sampler
Imagine if your country voted to become independent and that vote was then ignored. This was what the people of Catalonia faced in 2017 when Catalonian pro-independence leaders organised a referendum vote that was declared illegal by Spain’s constitutional court. Following that declaration of the illegitimatcy of the referendum, Clara Ponsatí, Education Minister, along with Catalan Prime Minister Carles Puigdemont were charged with sedition. They had to leave Catalonia and go into self-imposed exile, and seven of their former cabinet colleagues were imprisoned. The Case of the Catalans is a landmark book that explains the injustice Catalans have faced by being marginalised with their political beliefs rendered unlawful by the Spanish government.In this book, Ponsatí and her team of influential academics discuss the future of the Catalan people and the political and social tensions that led to the famous ‘illegal’ referendum. In a clear and accessible style, they aim to educate as many people as possible, whether interested in politics or not, about the extraordinarily backward democratic process that currently defines Spain’s national identity and has defied the settled will of the Catalan people.
Imagine if your country voted to become independent and that vote was then ignored. This was what the people of Catalonia faced in 2017 when Catalonian pro-independence leaders organised a referendum vote that was declared illegal by Spain’s constitutional court.
Following that declaration of the illegitimatcy of the referendum, Clara Ponsatí, Education Minister, along with Catalan Prime Minister Carles Puigdemont were charged with sedition. They had to leave Catalonia and go into self-imposed exile, and seven of their former cabinet colleagues were imprisoned. The Case of the Catalans is a landmark book that explains the injustice Catalans have faced by being marginalised with their political beliefs rendered unlawful by the Spanish government.In this book, Ponsatí and her team of influential academics discuss the future of the Catalan people and the political and social tensions that led to the famous ‘illegal’ referendum. In a clear and accessible style, they aim to educate as many people as possible, whether interested in politics or not, about the extraordinarily backward democratic process that currently defines Spain’s national identity and has defied the settled will of the Catalan people.
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2005–6 – A new Catalan Statute <strong>of</strong> Autonomy is passed<br />
through <strong>the</strong> Catalan Parliament in 2005, and approved<br />
<strong>by</strong> a referendum in Catalonia in 2006. <strong>The</strong> Spanish<br />
Constitutional Court begins deliberations on <strong>the</strong> new<br />
Statute. <strong>The</strong> Popular Party organises a Spain-wide<br />
campaign against any changes to <strong>the</strong> Constitution.<br />
2010 – Spain’s Constitutional Court rules <strong>the</strong> proposed<br />
new Catalan Statute <strong>of</strong> Autonomy unconstitutional. Large<br />
demonstrations against this decision are held in Barcelona.<br />
<strong>The</strong> CiU return to power in <strong>the</strong> Catalan government under<br />
<strong>the</strong> leadership <strong>of</strong> Artur Mas.<br />
2012 – Catalan government makes plans for a ‘consultation’<br />
on Catalan independence.<br />
2014 – <strong>The</strong> Spanish Parliament and Constitutional Court<br />
both reject plans for an independence referendum. A consultative<br />
referendum is held regardless – drawing over<br />
2.3 million votes, 1.9 <strong>of</strong> which support independence in<br />
<strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> a boycott <strong>by</strong> anti-independence groups.<br />
2015 – <strong>The</strong> CiU and ERC form an alliance, ‘Junts pel Sí ’, to<br />
contest a snap Catalan election, which <strong>the</strong>y hope to use<br />
as a plebiscite on independence. This alliance, alongside<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r pro-independence groups, gains 47.8 per cent <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> vote and an absolute majority <strong>of</strong> seats in <strong>the</strong> Catalan<br />
Parliament. <strong>The</strong> new government declares that start <strong>of</strong> a<br />
‘process’ towards independence.<br />
2016 – Artur Mas steps down as President <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catalan<br />
Generalitat in favour <strong>of</strong> Carles Puigdemont, with <strong>the</strong> support<br />
<strong>of</strong> Junts pel Sí and <strong>the</strong> far-left CUP.<br />
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