Process reaches a peak

The final act of the sovereignty process is due over two key days, Thursday and Friday. That is when two parliamentary sessions are scheduled, first in the Catalan parliament and then in the Spanish Senate. In both cases, the main topic for debate will be Article 155, the clause in the Constitution that allows the central government to suspend the self rule of Spain’s autonomous regions, in this case Catalonia.

At the same time, the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, is due to appear in the Senate on Thursday to address the commission set up to handle the approval of Article 155. Yet, when exactly the Catalan president will make his appearance, and whether he accepts an invitation to address Congress on Friday, when the final approval of Article 155 is due, is likely to be decided today.

As for the plenary session in the Catalan parliament, which is expected to run into Friday, the pro-independence parties have proposed five points for debate: an analysis of the situation, an offer of dialogue and mediation, the reverberations of the situation in the international community, an evaluation of the effects of applying Article 155, and proposals for how the Catalan government should act if Article 155 is put into effect.

At the end of the debate, yesterday it was agreed that each party will be able to present up to three proposals to be put to the vote. One such proposal could be a declaration of independence, which the Junts pel Sí and CUP signed on October 10. The two pro-independence groups could also negotiate a joint proposal with Catalunya Sí que es Pot against the recent actions of the state, and in particular the application of Article 155.