Cracks in the EU wall
Rajoy boasts full EU support in the conflict with Catalonia but many MEPs do not support his thesis; Catalan language group lobbies against abuse
The political struggle between Catalonia and Spain is being played out on many stages, including European institutions, where the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has taken heart from statements of support for his policies from European leaders.
The apparently solid EU block in favour of the Spanish government, however, has more cracks than seems at first glance and with the Euro Parliament sitting in Strasbourg, Catalonia, supposedly an internal Spanish affair, is on everyone’s lips. MEPs carefully scan the press and at every opportunity seek out Catalan colleagues to know their opinions
MEP Ramon Tremosa explained that although the issue is not officially on the agenda of the European Parliament, and with Spanish diplomacy preventing senior EU leaders meeting with Catalan envoys, the conflict is now on the desks of those leaders, including Commissioners.
The European Parliament strongly condemned the police action on October 1 and in recent days, apart from seeing that action as disproportionate, now see the application of Article 155 in a similar light.
The Platform for the (Catalan) Language lobby which for years has promoted measures in support of Catalan is actively lobbying MEPs to inform them of the situation here. From conservative reformist groups to the United Left, many MEPs see the situation as anti-democratic and criticise the “lukewarm response” of Brussels. One Irish MEP says he is confused by Spain’s approach as “with more repression against the people, more strength and more support for independence.”