“Until the state has a courageous government, one that understands that politics is dialogue and solutions can only be reached through dialogue and by doing politics, there won’t be a resolution to the conflict.” This was the view expressed by the Minister of the Presidency, Meritxell Budó, on the SER Catalunya radio programme Aquí, amb Josep Cuní, where she reiterated: “What the Catalan government wants is to sit down at a negotiating table and not get up until agreements are reached [because] we think the solution – finding the right fit between Catalonia and Spain – must be reached by political means”. Budó said: “On the other side, there hasn’t been a government willing to engage in dialogue. […] Talks had barely begun when they walked away to avoid the risk of losing votes for talking to the Catalan government.”

 

The minister said the narrative of the independence movement has not changed. “We continue to build the path we need to follow and remain faithful to the mandate of 1 October and 21 December, despite the context – one of repression, in which the rule of law is questionable.” According to Budó, the 1 October mandate remains “intact” because it was subsequently validated in the election held on 21 December 2017. “The government’s position is that the mandate has not lost its legitimacy. We remain committed to that mandate and are working to carry it out.”

 

The minister said civil society and Catalan institutions are working on a response to the imminent Supreme Court verdicts, and that she was sure protests in the wake of the ruling would be “civic, peaceful and democratic” as they have always been in the past. “Catalonia’s response must take into account all actors.”

 

As for the lead-up to the 10 November Spanish election, Budó said: “When there’s an election campaign under way, Spanish political parties use any tool that wins them votes, including attacks on Catalonia and threats to once again suspend Catalan self-rule by invoking Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution.”