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Case of royal myopia in Strasbourg

The speech that the Spanish monarch, Felipe VI, made yesterday in the European Parliament allows Europe to see once again, this time in person, the Spanish State's unwillingness to do anything about the Catalan people's claims. Felipe VI “guaranteed” that Spain would continue being “loyal and united” in an address in which he made no reference to the results of the 27-S election, nor its plebiscite character.

Fortunately, the process Catalonia is experiencing is already on the European and world agendas (proof of this can be seen in how the foreign press reported 27-S) and the EMPs and the states they represent have their own criteria, and yesterday they could see for themselves the short-sightedness of one of the parties in the conflict.

King Felipe VI praised all of the foundational principles of the European Union and spoke about the values of freedom, justice, equality and pluralism. It is precisely in defence of these values, and in order to exercise them, that Catalonia also wants to be part of Europe, and will continue to be so once it has become a state. The EU is a success story, said the king, and for that reason it has to include both Spain and Catalonia.

Unfortunately, the king made it clear that the institution he represents will not work to bring about a mutual understanding. Nothing new there. The archives are full of similar behaviour from his predecessors. That is why Felipe VI made it clear to the EMPs that Spain's only thoughts on the matter are the same as those of the PP.

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