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Only 40 of the Catalan Parliament's 135 delegates voted today in favour of Ciutadans' confidence motion against president Quim Torra. The party wanted Lorena Roldán to replace Torra for reasons of "social harmony" and to show there was a "constitutionalist" alternative to the pro-independence government. The conclusion, however, was fairly certain all along. Most commentators saw it as a move for Cs looking to position itself and push PSC into an uncomfortable situation ahead of Spain's re-run general election on 10th November.

Only Cs' 36 members and PP's 4 voted in favour of the motion this evening after hours of debate. PSC (17) abstained, whilst the other parties (76 seats - JxCat, ERC, CUP, En Comú) voted against. This is particularly notable as he was originally elected president with a simple majority of 66 votes in favour, with CUP abstaining and En Comú voting against his candidacy.

Roldán described a Catalonia where there is "fear" and "explosives", where "families [have been] broken" and where schools and the public broadcasters "indoctrinate". She also took the opportunity to discuss her the social policies in her manifesto, under the watchful eyes of party leaders Albert Rivera and Inés Arrimadas from the gallery.

The Catalan government wanted to play down the debate and vote; instead of the president replying in person, government spokesperson and presidency minister Meritxell Budó did so on his behalf. She was brief but forceful. Budó accused Cs of stoking the conflict and using the Parliament for fraudulent purposes: "Ladies and gentlemen of Ciutadans, this isn't a bar, it's not a TV studio, it's not a marquee for campaign events. This is the Parliament of Catalonia."