Who should govern Catalonia?
The process of forming a government in Catalonia remains complex in the wake of the regional elections. The only candidate so far for the post of regional president is Carles Puigdemont, who currently resides in Belgium and faces arrest should he return to Spain. Catalonia's current leader Roger Torrent has now indefinitely postponed the regional parliament's next session. Commentators call on politicians to stop being so stubborn.
Are the Catalans getting used to centralism?
With their delaying tactics the Catalan separatists are harming their own cause, ABC writes:
“The separatists are in a position to annul Madrid's intervention themselves. All they need to do is look for a 'clean' candidate. ... He should preferably live in the country and not be behind bars and at the very least turn up for the election in person. ... The separatist bloc should know that Spain is comfortable with the situation and that the number of those who support a recentralisation is growing. ... The three months of (soft) intervention have also shown that the supposed invasion or hijacking of self-government hasn't caused a calamity. If the separatists want to regain power, the procedure for them to do so is very simple. But perhaps they should get a move on because if the Catalans get used to the 'impasse' their political hegemony will be in grave danger.”
Don Quixote sends his regards
Author Cees Nooteboom takes a lyrical look at the increasingly absurd conflict, pointing out in De Standaard that the literary classics hold a clue:
“Sometimes it's a shame that Cervantes is no longer alive. How the author of Don Quixote would have enjoyed the situation in Catalonia! ... Neither Rajoy nor Puigdemont have understood a thing about Machiavellian realpolitik. Instead they've manoeuvred themselves into extremely complex situations. The prospect of endless martyrdom or new elections could cost them both their heads. ... Perhaps the exhausted players should read their Cervantes once more. Centuries later so much can still be learned from the master of unexpected turn of fate. After all, it's still the same country - fortunately.”