The independence conflict in Catalonia

General Elections in Spain

Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party (PSOE) gains the most votes. In Catalonia the overall leader is ERC but pro-independence parties total only 39.4% of the ballot.

Pedro Sánchez, new Spanish Prime Minister

The leader of the Socialist party (PSOE) is elected new Prime Minister in the Congress of Deputies following the success of the motion of no confidence against the incumbent, Mariano Rajoy. The motion, presented by the socialists on publication of the verdict of guilty in the Gürtel corruption case, is supported by the Catalan pro-independence parties. In his inauguration speech, Sánchez affirms that his government ‘wants Catalonia in Spain but that it will listen to Catalonia’.

Regional elections in Catalonia

On a record turnout of 82%, Ciutadans, led by Inés Arrimadas, won the elections on a quarter of total votes. However, the three pro-independence parties combined –Junts per Catalunya-PDeCAT, Esquerra Republicana and CUP– won 70 seats, two above the 68 necessary for an absolute majority, but again without capturing a majority of the vote (47.5%). Partido Popular (PP), the party of the central government in Madrid, recorded its worst results ever in Catalonia, with four seats and 4% of the vote.

🗳️ Official results (provisional)

Election campaign kicks off in Catalonia

Esquerra Republicana and PDeCAT fail to agree on continuing their Junts pel Sí coalition. All the main political parties field the same lead candidates as in the previous election, including Carles Puigdemont, who remains in Brussels, and Oriol Junqueras, still in prison.

Debat a TV3 Debate en La Sexta

The Catalan Parliament declares the independence of Catalonia

Independence is declared unilaterally after a secret ballot in the Catalan Parliament, with 70 votes cast in favour, 2 blank votes, 10 against and the absence of the Ciutadans, PSC and PP members of parliament. Shortly thereafter the Spanish Senate approves the triggering of Article 155 and Mariano Rajoy’s government dissolves the Catalan Parliament, dismisses the members of the Generalitat and calls regional elections for 21 December 2017.

The Catalan regional Prime Minister declares and suspends Catalan independence

In a speech in the Catalan Parliament, Carles Puigdemont presents a declaration of independence based upon the ‘popular mandate emanating from the ballot boxes on 1 October’, which he immediately suspends in order to negotiate with the central government.

The following day, the central government triggers the mechanisms for applying Article 155 of the Constitution, which provides for the suspension of autonomy. Meanwhile, hundreds of companies move their registered offices outside the region.

Mass demonstration in Barcelona against independence

Some 350,000 take to the streets of the Catalan capital in favour of Spanish unity. The association behind it, Societat Civil Catalana, organises further large-scale demonstrations against independence on 12 and 29 October, the latter with the explicit support of the constitutionalist parties Ciutadans, PSC and PP de Catalunya.

The King: ‘It is the responsibility of the legitimate powers of state to ensure constitutional order’

A robust televised speech is delivered by King Felipe VI, accusing the Generalitat of placing itself outside the rule of law and democracy. It is watched by 83.5% of viewers in Catalonia, where on the same day a general strike is held, supported by the Generalitat.

The illegal referendum is held despite a widespread deployment of police officers

Despite attempts to prevent it on the part of the central government and the High Court of Catalonia and the intervention of police officers in anti-riot gear, 42% of the electorate take part in the plebiscite, of whom 90% vote in favour, according to data from the Generalitat.

The Guardia Civil acts to halt the referendum preparations

The police operation, carried out under the orders of the Spanish Attorney General, is met by resistance from independence supports, with some violence being witnessed. The activists Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez, leaders of the associations that organised the demonstration, will later be arrested on charges of sedition for the gatherings.

Carles Puigdemont becomes regional Prime Minister

The Convergència/PDeCAT member of the Catalan parliament and former mayor of Girona is sworn in because CUP demands the resignation of Artur Mas. Puigdemont promises unilateral independence within 18 months. The leader of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, becomes Deputy Prime Minister.

The independence movement gains an absolute majority of seats, but not votes

Artur Mas again calls early elections, which his party, Convergència, contests in coalition with ERC under the name of Junts pel Sí. They do not obtain an absolute majority and have to rely on the radical party CUP to govern. Support for the antinationalist opposition (Ciutadans) again rises.

Despite the fact that the separatist parties (Junts pel Sí and CUP) fail to obtain 50% of votes cast, on 27 October the Declaration of the Initiation of the Independence Process is approved by 72 votes to 63.

Pro-independence parties win the Catalan regional elections — William Chislett

Popular consultation on Catalan independence

An independence referendum unilaterally organised by the Generalitat is held, despite being banned by the Constitutional Court. Approximately 33% of the electorate take part and 1.8 million vote in favour of independence. On 13 March 2017 the High Court of Catalonia disqualifies Mas for disobedience.

Independence Referendum in Scotland

A breakaway from the UK is rejected by 55.3% of the electorate. Turnout is close to 85%, the highest in any British vote since the introduction of universal suffrage. 🗳️ Results at BBC.com

European Commission: ‘a new independent state would become a third country with respect to the EU’

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, states that the treaties would cease to apply to an independent Scotland or Catalonia, citing the doctrine that had been in place for years. This pronouncement will be repeated by him on numerous occasions, by his successor from 2014 onwards, Jean Claude Juncker, and by other authorities at the EU institutions.

Regional elections: support for Convergència i Unió (CiU) declines and increases for Esquerra Republicana (ERC) and Ciutadans

Artur Mas (CiU) calls elections to try to capitalise on the Diada mobilisation, but secures a poor result for his party. Support for more explicit separatism (ERC) rises, but also the anti-nationalist opposition (Ciutadans and PP). Mas carries on as regional Prime Minister, but is more polarised by virtue of relying on ERC.

The Edinburgh Agreement between the United Kingdom and Scotland

The British government signs with the Scottish devolved government the Edinburgh Agreement that establishes the terms for a legal independence referendum. The decision is later approved by the British Parliament and the Scottish Assembly in 2013 and the date is set for September 2014.

First large pro-independence demonstration: start of the procés

Some 600,000 people demonstrate in Barcelona during the Diada (national day of Catalonia). Under the slogan Catalunya, nou estat d’Europa ('Catalonia, new state of Europe') the demonstration, called by the Catalan National Assembly association, marks the beginning of the so-called sovereignty process.