Dismantling the Generalitat

On September 20, the state executive took over the Catalan government’s finances. A month later, article 155 was activated and direct rule from Madrid was imposed on Catalonia. The democratically elected Catalan government was dismissed and the parliament dissolved. According to Mariano Rajoy’s executive, all these measures are “exceptional” and the only response to the Catalans daring to call a referendum and trying to implement the result. Despite the harshness of the reaction, it is another chapter in a script written in Madrid for the perfect partnership of the People’s Party (PP) and the Constitutional Court (TC).

The October 1 referendum and the declaration of independence were the ideal excuse to take things further and limit Catalonia’s self-government, although in practice it was already underway. The Catalan parliament’s job is to debate, vote and approve new legislation. Yet, especially since Carles Puigdemont became president, the Constitutional Court has supported most challenges to legislation that the PP has put before it, striking down bill after bill passed in the Catalan parliament. Among the Catalan legislation recently suspended by the TC is the commerce law. The eviction legislation is another example, and which has meant that thousands of people –14,000 last year– have lost their homes.

And nor are the actions of the TC exclusively against legislation associated with the independence process, but extend to just about all spheres. This year alone, all the laws introducing new forms of financing have been struck down, such as the internet tax meant to help fund the Catalan audiovisual sector. It even extends to such universal areas as the environment, with legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also suspended.