To provide reliable information, supporting the principles stated below, to the international general public as well as to political representatives, through various channels such as: direct contacts, key social influencers and media representatives in different countries.
Key principles:
- Spain is a European state in which democratic rights are respected, and not a failed state (According to The Economist Democracy Index 2017, the quality of Spanish democracy, ranks above that of several European states)
- Spain´s democratic constitutional mechanisms are at least as robust as those in any other country in the European Union, including established channels to allow participation in the improvement of such mechanisms, through constitutional reforms, based on qualified majority rules.
- Whatever measures which a qualified majority of citizens deem necessary to respond to the political challenge in Catalonia (e.g. increase of self-rule, a federal reform across Spain and/or legislative improvements or policy-making), such changes would be feasible under the existing constitutional system whether via constitutional reform, new legislation and/or legislative reinterpretation, always according to established majority rules.
- ProU itself does not advocate any specific reform path, given that we believe that any viable solution to the conflict faced by Catalan society, should emerge from dialogue among Catalans themselves, as well as between Catalans and Spanish representative bodies, always within the existing constitutional framework, based on the rule of law and never resulting from unilateral actions, which have caused great harm by breaking the spirit of coexistence.
- Independence is a legitimate and respectable option, but under no circumstance should it be achieved by violating the law.
- There is no absolute majority of voters in Catalonia in support ofindependence (as shown by the results of each and every one of the elections, and polls carried out, local and general). There is even less support for illegal unilateral actions.
- Catalonia is an open and pluralist society of free citizens, hosting a wide range of political and social opinions (including a majority who are in support of respecting legality regardless of desired reforms).
- The strategy followed by pro-independence parties throughout a long period, consisting of constantly challenging laws and the constitution, creates instability and threatens the very idea of the European Union and European values.
- The Catalan pro independence movement (as it has manifested itself), is just another manifestation of the growing non-inclusive populism which is becoming commonplace in western societies, and as such constitutes a threat to European democratic values.
- Catalan society is in great need of a reduction of social strife and confrontation. In this respect, it is fundamental that the Catalan government abandon any temptation to undertake illegal actions and instead adopt a culture of inclusive behaviour based on dialogue with all political options within Catalonia, in turn governing for all Catalan citizens (and not just for its own supporters).
- ProU supports measures aimed at promoting dialogue within the law as well as actions aimed at reducing strife and at materializing the desire to improve the living conditions of Catalans, (however not at the expense of those of the citizens of the rest of Spain).
- We believe however that only the Spanish constitutional framework can provide guaranteed and durable solutions (of whatever nature) under the protection of democratic principles.
