Saturday's formal swearing-in of the new Catalan government presided over by Quim Torra received extensive international coverage. Leading media from all over the world reported the event, drawing particular attention to the end of the Spanish government's direct rule over Catalonia and the return of a pro-independence government in Catalonia, and also to the simultaneous leadership change occurring in Madrid, with the investiture of Pedro Sánchez as new Spanish prime minister.
Reuters (UK) highlighted both the return of a Catalan government with independence as its aim, and the Catalan president's call for talks with new Spanish PM Sánchez.
New Catalan leader says targets independence, wants talks with new Spanish PM https://t.co/COATQgvFhW pic.twitter.com/ZQgCi07acq
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) 2 of June 2018
Frankfurter Allgemeine (Germany) stresses the possible opening provided by the new faces in Madrid: "A change of government in Spain: An opportunity for Catalonia?"
Regierungswechsel in Spanien: Eine Chance für Katalonien? (von Hans-Christian Rößler, Madrid) https://t.co/xggQAfCweu
— FAZ Topthemen (@FAZ_Top) 2 of June 2018
SRF News (Switzerland) tweets: "Catalonia returns to self-government. New president Quim Torra is a fervent defender of independence."
#Katalonien regiert sich wieder selbst. Der neue Regionalpräsident Regionalpräsident Quim Torra gilt als glühender Unterstützer der katalanischen Unabhängigkeit. https://t.co/6NA8H5wrig ^cs
— SRF News (@srfnews) 2 of June 2018
Business newspaper Handelsblatt (Germany): "The new Catalan government is already at work. President Torra will continue to push for independence"
Die neue Regionalregierung in Katalonien nimmt die Arbeit auf. Regierungschef Torra will die Unabhängigkeit Kataloniens weiter vorantreiben. https://t.co/UuxKgV0sx2
— Handelsblatt (@handelsblatt) 2 of June 2018
Leading German weekly Der Spiegel: "End of central government intervention: Catalonia has its own government again"
Ende der Zwangsverwaltung: Katalonien hat wieder eine eigene Regierung... https://t.co/TBl3waeEEh
— ONLINE SPIEGEL alles (@SPIEGEL_alles) 2 of June 2018
Public television network France Info says that new Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez will have to "reopen the Catalan dossier". Despite having labelled Catalan president Torra as "racist", Sánchez will now have to talk to the Catalan leader, notes the channel, adding that "we don't know what Sánchez promised the Catalan parties" in return for their support against defeated Spanish PM Rajoy.
Espagne : la réouverture du dossier catalan https://t.co/OG6qklbvhe #Catalogne #indépendance via @franceinfo
— Guerrier Serge (@GuerrierSerge) 2 of June 2018
Canadian public network RadioCanada: "End of Madrid's supervision of Catalonia" is the headline in this French-language network which highlights that both Spain and Catalonia have sworn in new leaderships at the same time.
Fin de la tutelle de Madrid en Catalogne https://t.co/0Ie0FIgcVB
— RC - International (@RCInternational) 2 of June 2018
The Wall Street Journal: "Spain ceases direct rule in Catalonia" says the US business-oriented daily. "A softer tone from Madrid coupled with the end of direct rule could somewhat ease tensions between the central government and Catalan officials," suggests the WSJ, while also asserting that, in the end, the implementation of article 155 "changed little in the day-to-day lives of most of Catalonia’s 7.5 million residents".
Catalan regional leader Joaquim Torra says that while direct rule from Spain has ended, he and his government are “without euphoria.” https://t.co/KmTMd6ReF6 — The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) 2 of June 2018