4th Issue - Six political prisoners released, but four remain

6 - 12 DECEMBRE 2017

ISSUE 4

SIX POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED, BUT FOUR REMAIN

Delegation from JERC who received the released Catalan Ministers last 4th December

Six out of the ten political prisoners were released last Monday, December 4th. They are Carles Mundo (Justice Minister), Dolors Bassa (Social Affairs Minister), Meritxell Borràs (Governance and Housing Minister), Raül Romeva (External Affairs Minister), Josep Rull (Territory Minister) and Jordi Turull (Presidency Minister).

We consider this release as a victory, but it has a sweet-sour taste: there are still four good people in prison. Oriol Junqueras, Vice President and Finance Minister and President of Esquerra Republicana, Joaquim Forn, Interior Minister, and the two Jordis, Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sánchez, presidents of Òmnium Cultural and ANC respectively.

Furthermore, the following day, a Spanish judge lifted the extradition order on the Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and the four Catalan Ministers who fled to Belgium to avoid charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. However, national arrest warrants still stand – meaning they would be likely to face arrest if they chose to return to Spain.

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WHO IS WHO IN THE NEXT CATALAN ELECTIONS?

PRO-INDEPENDENCE COALITIONS Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC)– Catalunya Sí The coalition is supported by numerous PSC splits such as MÉS, AVANCEM, or Catalunya Socialisme I Llibertat. Number one on the list is Oriol Junqueras (former Catalan VicePresident, still in prison), integrating as well, many independent figures such as Raul Romeva (Catalan External Affairs Minister and MEP for the greens), Carme Forcadell (Catalan Parliament President) or Dolors Bassa (Social Affairs Minister).

Junts Per Catalunya (JxCat) List of the Catalan President Carles Puigdemont (still in exile) which integrates the centre-right party party PDeCAT. Logically the list is led by President Puigdemont, and includes many independent personalities such as former ANC President Jordi Sànchez.

Candidatura d'Unitat Popular (CUP) Far-left party whose number one on the list is Carles Riera (ex member of Crida a la Solidaritat). They are supported by other minor parties such as the Pirate Party and some trotskist organisations

PRO-CONSTITUTION PARTIES Partido Popular (PP) Spanish mainstream right wing party. Evolved in the late 80’s from Alianza Nacional, a party created by former Franco´s Ministers. They defend a recentralisation and a neoliberal agenda.

Their candidate, Xavier Garcia Albiol, has been accused several times (specially during his period as Mayor in the city of Badalona) of racism and xenophobia.

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Ciudadanos (C's) The orange formation will have Inés Arrimadas as number one. Their discourse is focused on Spanish nationalism, defending also a recentralisation process.

Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC) In this election, they have former members of UDC (an extinct democratic-christian party) in their list. Number two is Ramon Espadaler (former president of UDC), being Miquel Iceta the number one.

NOT DEFINED Catalunya en Comú, Podem A political party formed by several parties, including ICV (the Catalan greens), EUiA (the Catalan branch of the Spanish United Left), Barcelona en Comú (Ada Colau's Party), Podem (Catalan branch of Podemos), among others. The first person of the list is Xavier Domènech, and it is closed by Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, in the province of Barcelona.

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GREAT SUCCESS OF THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING "YOUTH FOR THE DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION" IN MENORCA The Republican Left Youth organised its 4th International Meeting “Youth for the democratic Revolution”, last 17th to 19th November in Ciutadella, Menorca. During three days, ten organisations of the european left and different stateless nations, attended talks, workshops and visits in order to cooperate in the environmental fight.

Under the subtitle “Remember, Reflect, Rise up”, we tackled issues such as construction and tourism, we debated about energy models and we visited Albufera d’es Grau, among other activities. Also, we talked about the situation in the Catalan Countries, Menorca and the effects of the Catalan process in the island.

Delegates from youth organisations of the European left attended this meeting: Linksjugend Solid’ (Germany), Bloco de Esquerda (Portugal), Junge Linke (Austria), Left Youth of Finland (Finland), Plaid Ifanc (Wales), Sinn Féin Republican Youth (Ireland), Neolaia Syriza (Greece), SFU (Denmark), Scida (Sardigna) and Young Scots for Independence (Scotland).

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Participants of the IV International Meeting

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