Tense debate on TV3: the PSC reclaims itself and the independence movement disagrees on the price of Sánchez’s investment | Catalonia

The eight leaders of the Catalan list for the general elections of this 23-J were the protagonists tonight on TV-3 in a tense debate, full of reproaches and interruptions. Meritxell Batet, the socialist candidate, argued that the situation in Catalonia, in the socio-economic context as well as in coexistence, is infinitely better than in 2017 but she only got the support of candidate Aina Vidal, of Sumar En Comú Podem. The three pro-independence parties -Junts, ERC and CUP- have complained about the lack of progress in the sovereign field, as well as launching recriminations while Vox defended a strong hand in Catalonia, convinced that the situation is “imposed normality”.

Vox’s threat to apply that heavy hand, verbalized this Tuesday morning by Santiago Abascal, glossed over the debate that began with a question time between the candidates. Míriam Nogueras (Junts) and Gabriel Rufián (ERC) put Vox candidate Juan José Aizcorbe in a bad light, saying that the debate could not take place if the far right were in government. “I have nothing to ask of a fascist party,” said Nogueras, who hinted that Vox wants to shut down TV-3 and ban Catalan parties. Rufián recalled that Abascal said he would apply a 155 and reiterated that this would be the last electoral debate for Vox. “The panorama has already been seen,” said Aizcorbe. “They say they will do it again (the referendum). We cannot make compromises or half-discourses”. Will you put us in prison?” replied Rufián.

The debate, which forced the moderator Ariadna Oltra to intervene to prevent the candidates from stepping on each other, showed the division of the independence movement and their differences on the investiture. Nogueras called the result of the dialogue table “zero” and asked the ERC and CUP not to invest any president if they do not transfer powers to Catalonia to hold a referendum. “It’s not a matter of price. It is the dignity of the country,” he said. “Empty sentences look very good on the networks,” replied Rufián, who chose to include infrastructure and language and claimed pardon. “I’m not your opponent. Carme Forcadell or Quim Forn are watching this debate. I ask for respect for the negotiation. We will not make any masterful move to invest the PP. ” Albert Botrán, of the CUP, who has made self-criticism within the independence movement, made Batet ugly by saying that democracy is in danger if “they are against self-determination.” Roger Muntanyola, of the PDeCAT-Espai CiU, invoked a pactist policy stating that neither the PSOE nor the PP will ever accept the referendum.

Batet defended the legislative baggage of the coalition government and measures such as the 8.5% increase in pensions, the 47% increase in the interprofessional minimum wage, labor reform, euthanasia or the equality law . “We risk applying the artist statute or censorship; the one who defends women or returns to darkness. Either more permanent contracts or labor reform”, he stressed, insisting on the PSC’s position that this 23-J resolves the dilemma between Pedro Sánchez or Alberto Núñez Feijóo. “The PP voted no to all these laws” , he affirmed, assuring that the socialists will promote the reform of the financing model in the new legislature.Vidal affirmed that no party can govern alone and called for the citizens’ mobilization of those who “do not trust politics and are afraid that Abascal will enter into Cabinet”.

Popular Nacho Martín Blanco, who has sought to distance himself from the PP, said the socialist government will go down in history for freeing “pedophiles and rapists” and sparked outrage among sovereigntist candidates when he said his party would not do nothing “against the Catalan”. “Well, with their partners Vox they have already vetoed the magazines in Catalan”, they blurted out referring to the canceled subscriptions to magazines in Catalan in the library of Burriana (Castellón). “My priority is coexistence and without civil war”, he told the Vox candidate. “A government of PP and Vox would be disastrous. And we will fight that fascism”, said Botran, who made Batet ugly: “We didn’t need a government of PP and Vox to spy on us. If Catalonia is thus pacified, it would not be necessary for the police to infiltrate the lives of our militants or for there to be a singer in prison and another in exile”.

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