Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The independentist movement does not know what it has done

Manel Manchón


Pati dels Tarongers. Palau de la Generalitat. Jordi Pujol, surrounded by journalists, lectures. Let's say they are the 90s, mid or late. A first reflection: José María Aznar is accused of many things, but we must listen to him. It is solid. There is Castilian substance. Thought hard and internalized readings. You have to know the history. "Do you read, you already know the history, of Spain and of Europe? Never stop doing it, "insisted Pujol.

Decade of 2010. A new generation gains power. Pujol should not have insisted too much on the national councils of Convergència on these necessary readings, because it does not seem that the new leaders have learned anything. Pujol knows Spain. And Catalonia. And he knew that, with the impetus of a new Estatut, starting in 2004, things could get very complicated. He was not mistaken, although some told him that the bad procedure could be fixed later with good will and wisdom, of one and the other.

But that did not happen. And an unexpected thing happened: the arrival of a huge economic crisis, systemic, that disrupted vital projects and when that happens it is usually appealing to dreams and chimerical projects. But, did anyone really think that everything done was for free? Not Artur Mas, who now looks like a little de Gaulle waiting to be picked up by Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, or of course Carles Puigdemont, an activist with no idea of ​​what political responsibility means, nor Oriol Junqueras, even if he wanted now to rectify.

The independence movement has played too much. And in Spain a civic substratum gains strength, which can be manipulated or agitated by the parties - as is happening - but which is prior, exists. Is a reality. The Spanish flags on the balconies in Madrid appeared not by any indication of the PP, or Citizens, or an incipient Vox. It is explained by the philosopher Marina Garcés, in her book Ciudad Princesa: her Madrid friends are surprised by these flags, which, they admit, had never been politicized.

It is important for the independentists to understand that comment: "They had never seen it used as a protest flag. At most, as official flag or flag of the national team. But politicized, from the anonymity of the street, had not yet appeared.

That is to say, there has not been a Spanish nationalism, determined to destroy what Catalonia represents.

But now ... Now yes. That substrate has come out and what it can propose is to rethink things, to negotiate again on the rules of the game, and here Catalan nationalism has the power to lose.

Play, stress, explain things that are not, distort, exaggerate, leave in the corner lifelong Catalans, just because those have dared to say that in that way nothing is possible, that without counting the other half of Catalans better do nothing, and, much less, to break the law. That is what has been happening during these last years.

The debate in Madrid is very interesting, but scares in Catalonia. It should be known in depth. This Sunday there will be many people in the streets, protesting against an image, against the perception that only a part speaks and complains, that the political agenda is marked by the independence movement, that the blame is always on the other side. That the Spanish citizens and the non-independent Catalans seem to be at fault of the judgment, as of this week, of some political leaders who crossed the line of legality. And that they should suffer insomnia thinking about the young children of those leaders, because their fathers and mothers are in prison. That is regrettable - the prison - but it must be settled by justice, they do not decide it, nor is it in the hands of Catalan citizens who are not independentists.

What is at stake is that in order to arrive at a real negotiation framework, the other part will take to the streets, exaggerate and demand accounts. And that in this framework, a Spanish Government and a Catalan Government will rethink everything: regional, Catalan and Spanish funding in schools, plurality in public media, own and shared competitions, representation in European institutions ... Everything. And that has a danger: even the Generalitat will lose some feathers along the way.

Really, all that was not thought by the Rulls, Turull, Puigdemont, Junqueras, Comín, and the advising friends, - perhaps the most responsible - like David Madí or José Antich?

Then, the manifestation of PP, Ciudadanos and Vox has no name. It is an aberration, to fan the fire, to take advantage of the moment to charge Pedro Sánchez. Yes, that is true. But the substrate exists. The anger is real.

The independentist movement does not know what it has done.

Pujol did not leave his history books. Or maybe, actually, he did not want them to read them.

https://cronicaglobal.elespanol.com/pensamiento/zona-franca/independentismo-hecho_220629_102.html

 

Share:

0 comentarios:

Post a Comment

Highlighted

Trials of Catalan activists - the what the why and how great academic centers are unwittingly contributing to undermining a European democracy

Twelve former Catalan politicians and activists are currently facing trial before the Spanish Supreme Court for charges ranging from m...

Blog Archive