#SPAIN: Catalan Premier On Trial For Disobeying Election Authorities, Displaying Banners

[world politics news]

Catalan premier Quim Torra is on trial for disobedience over his refusal to take down politically charged signs from public buildings during the campaign leading up to the municipal and European elections of May 26. The hearings, which are taking place at the regional High Court, could mean early elections in Catalonia in the event of a conviction. Torra refused to take down a banner from the Palau de la Generalitat, the seat of the Catalan government, expressing support for political leaders who were being tried at the Supreme Court for sedition

The prosecution is seeking a 20-month ban on holding public office and a €30,000 penalty for Torra, a hard-line separatist politician who ignored warnings from electoral authorities that the regional government must maintain neutrality during election campaigns. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: Catalan Independence Leaders Get Lengthy Prison Sentences

[world politics news]

Spain’s supreme court has sentenced nine separatist leaders from Catalonia to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition over their role in a failed independence bid, triggering protests across the region.

Three other defendants who were also on trial for their involvement in the October 2017 referendum held in spite of a ban and a short-lived independence declaration, were found guilty only of disobedience and not sentenced to prison.

All defendants were acquitted of the gravest charge, rebellion, but leading separatists were quick to condemn the court’s decision and the jailed men sent out messages of defiance, urging people to take to the streets.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: PM Sanchez Calls For Snap Election In April After Budget Fails In Parliament; Third Election In Four Years

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday called an early general election for April 28, the third in less than four years, after his draft budget was rejected in parliament. The Socialist Party leader took power just over eight months ago after he ousted his conservative rival in a dramatic parliamentary no-confidence vote, but it has been a turbulent term.

At the head of a fragile minority government, the 46-year-old had to rely on the support of unlikely bedfellows in parliament, including the far-left Podemos party, Basque nationalist lawmakers and crucially, 17 Catalan separatist MPs. They withdrew their backing of the government, and voted against the budget, to protest separatist leaders being put on trial for their role in a 2017 attempt to break Catalonia from Spain.

The campaign is set to begin April 13.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: Catalan Gov't Seeking Replacement For President After Exiled Puigdmont Abandons Comeback Bid

[world politics news]

Catalan separatists have begun the challenging search for a new candidate to lead their region after deposed President Carles Puigdemont, in self-exile in Belgium and wanted in Spain, abandoned his comeback bid. Fears that  the presidency could become a "part-time" job has eliminated another popular contender for the job.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Separatists Maintain Majority In Regional Assembly Elections

[world politics news]

Catalan separatists retained their absolute majority in the regional parliament in an election this past week that followed a chaotic referendum, a unilateral declaration of independence and Madrid stepping in to take control of the region.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Former Catalan Pres. In Exile In Brussels; Says He Accepts Madrid's Election Plans

[world politics news]

Catalonia's ousted leader Carles Puigdemont has agreed to the snap election Dec. 21st called by Spain's central government when it took control of the region to stop it breaking away, but he said the fight for independence would go on. Puigdemont, speaking at a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday, also said he was not seeking asylum in Belgium after Spain's state prosecutor recommended charges for rebellion and sedition be brought against him. He would return to Catalonia when given "guarantees" by the Spanish government, he said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Central Gov't In Madrid Fires Catalan Gov't; Catalan Leader Vows Peaceful Resistance

[world politics news]

Catalonia is now theoretically under the direct control of the Spanish national government in Madrid after the area’s regional parliament voted in favor of an independent republic on Friday. In a televised address on Saturday, the separatist leader said Madrid’s decision to suspend the autonomy of the province and appoint the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister as its provisional head goes against the will of the people.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: BREAKING: Violence Feared As Catalonia Declares Independence, 40 Minutes After Direct Rule Imposed By Spanish Senate

[world politics news]

Spain is on the brink of descending into violence as Catalonia faces being imminently taken over by direct rule after the region's parliament declared independence. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy began a meeting with his cabinet at 5 pm local time to discuss exactly how the national government will take control of the region. During that meeting, article 155 of the country's constitution will be enacted - meaning the entire Catalan government will be dismissed and replaced by Spanish nominees, the regional police force will come under national control and public broadcasters will start taking their orders from Madrid.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Pres. Rules Out Snap Election As Senate Moves To Impose Direct Rule

[world politics news]

Catalonia’s president has said he will not call a regional election that could have defused tension with Spain. Carles Puigdemont said he had considered calling a snap election, but was choosing not to because he had not received sufficient guarantees that the government's "abusive" moves to take control of Catalonia would be suspended. In a hastily-called address from his palace in Barcelona and with the eyes of the world watching, the separatist leader said the regional parliament now will decide how to respond to the Spanish authorities' takeover plan.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#CATALONIA: Pres. Declares Independence, Calls For Talks With Central Gov't In Madrid

[world politics news]

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said Tuesday he would act on what he called a popular mandate to declare independence from Spain but first wanted dialogue with Madrid to ensure it is a peaceful process. "The ballot boxes say Yes to independence and this is the path I am determined to follow,” the regional president told the Catalan parliament. “I assume the mandate of the people for Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic." However, he immediately asked the Catalan parliament to suspend the act of independence for some weeks to allow for a period of negotiation with the Spanish government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: The Empire Strikes Back: Pro-Spain Protesters Demonstration Against Catalan Independence

[world politics news]

Hundreds of thousands of people are marching in Barcelona to demand Catalonia rejects independence and stays with Spain. March organizers, the anti-independence Union movement Societat Civil Catalana, claimed 930,000 people turned out, but Barcelona police put the total at around 350,000. The demonstration comes a week after the Catalan government held a referendum on secession that was condemned as illegal and unconstitutional by the Spanish government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: BREAKING: Police Seize Ballot Boxes, Attack Voters, To Stop Catalan Independence Referendum

[world politics news]

Spanish riot police beat voters, fired rubber bullets and seized ballot boxes from polling stations in Catalonia Sunday as thousands flooded the streets to vote in an independence referendum banned by the central government in Madrid. Below is a video story about the violence.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Gov"t Arrests 14 Catalan Leaders Promoting Secession

[world politics news]

The Spanish government had arrested 14 members of the Catalan government for promoting the October 1st independence referendum in the region. The arrests prompted mass demonstrations in Barcelona and elsewhere, both for and against the vote.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: PM Files Appeal Against Catalan Parliament's "Fast-Track" Bills To Pave Way For Referendum

[world politics news]

The Spanish government has filed an appeal with Spain's constitutional court against a reform passed by the Catalan parliament to fast-track bills through the regional parliament, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said. Catalonia's majority separatist lawmakers hope the reform they approved will pave the way for an independence referendum in the wealthy northeastern region called for October 1st which Madrid deems illegal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Politicians Defy Spanish Courts And Set Another Independence Referendum For Oct 1

[world politics news]

Catalonia's regional government has chosen October 1 as the date for a referendum on independence from Spain, standing up to the country’s central government, which sees the vote as illegal. Regional president Carles Puigdemont said Catalans will be asked to answer yes or no to a single question: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?" The country’s Constitutional Court has invalidated previous attempts to gain more autonomy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Advisory Court Takes A Stand Against Independence Referendum

[world politics news]

A top legal body in Catalonia ruled Friday that the region's separatist government does not have the authority to call a referendum on independence, saying that role lies with Spain's court system. The regional court is advisory, and the legal ruling is non-binding, but it was unanimous, and is thus viewed as a blow to the wealthy region's efforts to hold a new vote. An earlier vote was blocked by Spanish courts, and a non-binding vote was held in its place.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Pres. Signals Independence Referendum Will Be Held In 2017

[world politics news]

In his year-end address, Catalonia's pro-independence president, Carles Puigdemont, signaled that there will be a "legal and binding referendum" in the region on whether to secede from Spain in 2017, despite fierce opposition from the central government. Puigdemont said that 2017 would be a "crucial" year for the Spanish northeastern region. Spain's Supreme Court has ruled future referenda on the issue illegal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalans Vow To Keep Bullfighting Ban After Spanish Court Reverses Regional Ban

[world politics news]

The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Josep Rull, assured that the government will do everything in its power to keep the ban on bullfighting in Catalonia, a ban which has been reversed  by the Spanish Constitutional Court. Rull insisted that "death and animal torture will not be allowed," despite the court's ruling. Bullfighting was effectively banned in Catalonia in 2012.

#SPAIN: EU Will Recognize Independent Catalonia, Insists Catalan Leader

[world politics news]

The president of the Catalan region, Carles Puigdemont, told a Paris conference that the EU would recognize an independent Catalonia, citing the example of Slovenia and the former Yugoslavia, as well as Scotland and its dissatisfaction with Brexit.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Catalan Pres. Calls 2017 Independence Referendum; Spain Displeased

[world politics news]

Catalan regional lawmakers have approved regional President Carles Puigdemont's plans to call a referendum next year on independence from Spain, which has been without a fully functioning government since December. Puigdemont told lawmakers he would hold an independence referendum in September 2017 whether or not the central government in Madrid agrees to one.

[FULL STORY HERE]