• Elections.Sanchez defends that his "moderation" in Catalonia "is strength"
  • Catalonia: ERC's distrust of Torra is growing due to its new referendum
  • Editorial: The decisive hour of Pedro Sánchez

Moderation as strength, but also as lever. Waiting only as a state of observation. The Government has been pointing out for weeks that it will apply the National Security Law or again the 155 if the reaction in Catalonia to the sentence of the process overflowed and has now opted for caution.

Since last Monday, when the protests first began and then the riots, the Executive has developed a restraint speech, which strives to differentiate social independence from violent groups, respecting the right of assembly, which refers to the opening of a new stage in Catalonia and focusing on the president of the Generalitat, Quim Torra, all responsibility for what is happening.

The acting Vice President of the Government, Carmen Calvo, summed it up this Friday on Canal Sur Radio: "We must be as prudent as possible because it is convenient to find a future and we must all try not to add any more complications to what exists." From Brussels, the chief executive, Pedro Sánchez, also explained: "The weighting of the measures helps to calm the spirits, to redirect the situations and therefore that is what the Government does."

The recipient of all these reflections is ERC. The Government is contained waiting for the Republicans to confirm their resignation to the unilateral route and, according to the sources consulted, the certification must be the fall of Quim Torra. The president , they point out, "is the big problem."

Complacent with the violence of the CDRs, Republicans have been more blunt in condemning it. But with ERC you never know. The head of the Government depends on his support and it remains to be seen if they will dare to face him. This, according to sources of solvency, is what Moncloa expects, that they "get rid of" him and confirm that "they are serious."

The Executive is giving time. Although only the right one. According to their forecasts, the strike, Friday night and the weekend are the most difficult moments. They have prepared, they insist, and "if the situation gets worse, we cannot rule out anything," Carmen Calvo said.

The historic ERC leader Joan Tardà requested Friday the call for regional elections. "A Parlament with broader consensus and committed to amnesty is necessary, to address the economic crisis and to build a negotiating scenario." It is interpreted as a first step.

Towards that scenario the pressure of the Executive is directed. New elections to separate Torra and Carles Puigdemont. In the Government, the internal tension is absolute and last Tuesday ERC had to make real efforts to prevent Torra from dismissing the Interior Minister and head of the Mossos, Miquel Buch .

With a path of perennial communication between the Socialist Executive and the Republican leaders, Pere Aragonés and Gabriel Rufián, from ERC it has been transmitted in recent days that the adoption of extraordinary measures - such as a new 155 - would have irreparable consequences, they point out from other parties .

Consulted sources close to the Government explain that "it is about not giving reasons to independence now in crisis, to arm oneself with reasons." Law enforcement, they add, "are coordinated." "The coordination is excellent." But the wait is not indefinite. The Government reiterates that it will act if necessary.

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Know more

  • ERC
  • Carmen Calvo
  • Catalonia
  • Quim Torra
  • National Security Law
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Mossos d'Esquadra
  • Gabriel Rufián
  • Carles Puigdemont
  • CDR

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