Abnormal elections on unequal terms

Reporters from this newspaper have had to travel to Brussels to interview President Carles Puigdemont who heads one of the electoral lists in the upcoming 21 December election [21-D]. He did not call the election and is unable to campaign in Catalonia, as he would be arrested on the spot. Likewise, Vice President Oriol Junqueras, who heads ERC’s slate, remains behind bars in Spain’s Estremera prison and, therefore, is only able to participate in the campaign by means of handwritten letters. And there are other jailed candidates, such as Jordi Sànchez and Joaquim Forn; plus others in exile in Brussels, such as Clara Ponsatí, Toni Comín, Meritxell Serret and Lluís Puig; or on provisional bail, such as Jordi Turull, Carles Mundó, Josep Rull, Raül Romeva and Dolors Bassa. It is apparent that such conditions make it very difficult to see these elections as taking place in a context of normality, since, to begin with, the right to participate in the electoral process is not guaranteed under equal conditions. Certain political options are conducting a conventional campaign without any form of restriction, while others are not. This is the reality.

In spite of this, or precisely because of the current situation, the elections on 21 December are the most important ones Catalonia has faced since the restoration of democracy. What is at stake is the very source of the legitimacy that governs the fate of all Catalans: a vote cast at the ballot box or an arbitrary decision of the Spanish government through the application of Article 155 of the Constitution. Certain pillars of the rule of law are also at stake, such as the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence, which have clearly been violated in the case of Catalonia’s imprisoned ministers.

Everyone ought to be aware that a victory of the 155 bloc would mean tacit approval of Rajoy's decision to sack the government and dissolve Parliament. It would also lend support to the prosecutors who accuse Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez of staging a violent rebellion.

The current situation should not be seen as an excuse not to call to account the pro-independence leaders for the errors that were committed, when the time is right. Neither is it an excuse not to call for a solid government programme that effectively improves people’s lives. But we must keep in mind the dilemma that we face on 21-D.