The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, has made a call for unity of the independence movement after the cracks seen after the postponement of today's planned investiture debate. "What's brought us to this point is unity, let's not lose it, let's remain united", he said.
This didn't mean, however, there wasn't a thinly-veiled comment aimed at ERC. "Thinking that article 155 will be lifted by complying like star students with the 155 doctrine is a great lack of realism. Realism is the 21st December [election]", he warned.
Puigdemont this evening gave a public evaluation via social media of the situation created after the decision from the Parliament's speaker, Roger Torrent, to postpone the debate.
"Today I would have liked to address you all invested once again as president of the Catalan government", he said, noting that he has the absolute majority in the chamber for this to happen, and that as such there is no alternative candidate possible.
"Regrettably, however, the session hadn't been held. The Parliament's speaker has opted for another path and we have to respect his decision," said the president.
The president warned that "in no way" will they accept the presidency of Catalonia being dictated from Madrid. "Doing so would be to give in to the state's manoeuvres and betray the wishes of the voters and all those who have fought for our democratic institutions."
He insisted that Catalonia is in the middle of a political conflict; that many voices are calling for an "urgent" end to article 155 and that forming a government is "the fastest path" to this end. He also warned that they cannot trust in a justice system which takes its cues from the Spanish state which uses blackmail to force the selection of a Catalan government which it likes even if that forces it to break with the rule of law.
"Today Catalonia had the opportunity to continue constructing the country which its citizens want. But it will have to remain yet in the paralysis forced by those who lost the election," he said.
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