Catalonia’s separatist political parties last week were preparing for a peaceful rebellion that would win them independence. But this week they are looking ahead to a surprise election they may well lose.
Outmanoeuvred by Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, who used a series of exceptional measures to take control of the region over the weekend, the two main pro-independence parties on Monday agreed to field candidates in the regional poll called by Mr Rajoy for December 21.
In internal meetings on Monday, hardliners from the two main separatist parties — the PDeCAT and the ERC — argued that to field candidates would be to accept that Catalonia was not the independent republic the region’s parliament had proclaimed Friday.