At the very end of the long journey towards the independence of Catalonia, its president, Carles Puigdemont, has stopped the clock and given himself a period, probably short, to negotiate. Certainly, it's not the easiest thing for the Catalan government to explain, nor is it what part of the independence movement which wanted an immediate declaration of independence after the results of the 1st October referendum was hoping for. But neither is it the most comfortable thing for the Spanish government and for Mariano Rajoy since the application of article 155 of the Spanish Constitution (the formal suspension of autonomy) which they've had ready for months is a little more difficult to explain abroad and to activate with the formal vote for dialogue in the way and the call for international mediation. With the clock stopped, the Catalan government should activate contacts with the PP (Popular Party) government and the formulae put on the table by the different international mediators in recent hours. That is, at least in theory, as it's not at all clear that Puigdemont's gesture has a counterpart in Madrid, as deputy PM Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría suggested in a brief statement in which, beyond the usual tough language, she added nothing.
Puigdemont's move could be risky in the complicated map of Catalan politics, where any sidestep is either a definitive success or failure, but could end up proving a wise choice in terms of preserving the support of international public opinion. A thousand journalists were accredited by the Catalan Parliament for the occasion, beyond those with standing passes. Almost two hundred international media outlets, some of whom broadcast his speech live. This is doubtlessly a lot and they are also going to be guarantors of the Catalan government's offer and attentive followers of the response from the Spanish government which has in its court an uncomfortable ball and which shouldn't do as on other occasions: destroy it and prevent the match from being played. The time is for sitting down and the European authorities who have asked Puigdemont for a gesture now have it. Now is the time to talk. And also to ask Rajoy to move in the same direction.
"Will it achieve anything?" wondered a group of young people with little happiness on their faces leaving the pro-independence rally on passeig Lluís Companys. It should achieve something. In any other country like ours it would achieve something. The parliamentary session yesterday afternoon had three critical moments. The first, when Puigdemont solemnly declared that he took on the mandate from the people on 1st October for Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic. It was the most emotional moment as the memories flashed past of the difficulties to be able to vote on that day of enormous democratic dignity. The second, when he said that he was suspending the effects to open a dialogue for a negotiated solution. The Catalan government was listening to him from the front row of the Parliament, serious and constrained. The moment wasn't comfortable. And the third when the JxSí (Together for Yes) and CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) deputies signed the declaration of independence in the chamber's auditorium.
The speed with which everything happened removed from the debate a few key words from the president's speech which referred to a suspension of the effects of the declaration of independence. What did he mean, exactly? Let's turn to the news agency Reuters: the independence of Catalonia has been declared by Puigdemont and its effects suspended in the interest of negotiation.
One of the peculiarities of Catalan politics is that it never advances in great leaps, but in very measured steps. This Tuesday is a clear example. The most positive thing is that nobody from the parliamentary spectrum that supported the 1st October referendum was lost along the way. The majority remains greater than the of strict pro-independence world. For the times coming it's better like that. To drive negotiations too. The ball is moving again and now enter new actors, above all Europe. The Catalan process is more international than ever, and that doesn't harm Catalan interests.