Quim Torra named 131st President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, thanks to the abstention of the CUP
- Quim Torra becomes the 131st President of Catalonia on Monday, 14. The three previous candidates presented by the Junts per Catalunya, who won the elections after being eliminated one by one by the State – Carles Puigdemont, Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Turull – have finally been obtained by JxCat and the ERC with their votes and thanks to the abstention of four CUP deputies, the Catalan parliament has managed to appoint the President of the Generalitat.
In a vote just after 3:30 p.m., 66 votes of JxCat and ERC have decided the name of the new president, surpassing 65 votes of the PP, Ciutadans, PSC and Comuns. The key has been the abstention of the four CUP members and the eyes of all of Catalonia have been watching their final decision over the weekend.
Both Puigdemont and the foreign minister Toni Comin, as well as Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sánchez, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Raül Romeva, prisoners in Spanish prisons, were able to participate in the vote.
During Monday’s session, Quim Toro explained to the Parliament the government plan that he plans for the following years. And he has assured the people that the Republic he proclaims will be a "Republic of all".
With regard to the decisive position of the CUP in the vote, the internal process of deciding what to do with the new candidacy presented by Puigdemont involved the participation of 67 representatives of the CUP from twelve different territories, in the meeting held in Cervera. They had to decide either to make Torra president by a vote of yes or by abstention, or by voting against the demolition of their investiture. The final decision was that the four Members should abstain. The CUP clarified that the results of the vote were not unanimous, so they decided to “not block” the candidacy of the Torah, considering that they live at the time of “repression and violations of civil and political rights on the part of the State.” However, they emphasize that they will make an “active opposition” to “go forward” on the path of “making the Republic”.
Carles Puigdemont has received a respectful welcome from Berlin in exile on Twitter, as the new president:
Jordi Sánchez has done the same from the prison in Soto del Real:
Lau agenteak lesio-delituengatik ikertzen ari dira eta horrek galarazten du 2024ko amnistia aplikatzea. Polizia horietako batek, ustez, gomazko bala batekin begi bat zartatu zion Roger Español kataluniarrari.
Walk from a train station, two friends and a hug. This hug will be frozen until the next meeting. I'll come home, he'll stay there. There, too, will be free the painful feeling that injustice wants us to catch. Jesús Rodríguez (Santa Coloma de Gramenet, 1974) is a journalist,... [+]
