PP announces reform to allow Constitutional Court to punish Mas

Spain’s ruling Popular Party (PP) presented an urgent proposed bill in Congress on the 1 September 2015 that would give the Constitutional Court powers to fine or suspend elected officials and civil servants who failed to comply with its rulings.

Though applicable to all public administrations, the initiative was devised to deal with a possible unilateral declaration of independence from Spain in Catalonia after its regional election on the 27 September 2015.

Catalonia's president Artur Mas vowed on the 4 September 2015 to begin seceding from Spain if the pro-independence parties won a majority of seats - not votes - in the regional parliament elections. He thought the process would take 18 months.

Mr Mas said the judicial reforms proposed by the Spanish government an 'echo of the Inquisition'.

Previous Socialist Prime Minister in Spain, Felipe González, urged Catalans on the 30 August 2015 to turn away from the path towards independence, likening the movement to the rise of fascism in Germany and Italy in the 1930s.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Catalan premier calls early elections, classing vote a plebiscite for region http://www.europeansources.info/record/catalan-premier-calls-early-elections-classing-vote-a-plebiscite-for-region/

The Local.es, 04.09.15: Artur Mas: parliament majority is all we need to declare independence http://www.thelocal.es/20150904/catalonia-head-says-parliament-majority-enough-to-secede-from-spain

The Local.es, 04.09.15: Spanish PM defends reforms that will counter Catalan separatism http://www.thelocal.es/20150904/rajoy-defends-reforms-to-counter-catalan-separatism

The Local.es, 31.08.15: Message to Catalonia: ‘We are much better together,’ says ex-PM http://www.thelocal.es/20150831/spains-ex-pm-send-message-to-catalonia-we-are-much-better-together

El País, 04.09.15: Cameron warns Catalonia that independence means leaving EU http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/09/04/inenglish/1441377999_785390.html

Catalan News Agency, 03.09.15: Employers show 'unconditional' support for Catalonia’s right to vote http://www.catalannewsagency.com/business/item/employers-show-unconditional-support-for-catalonia-s-right-to-vote

Catalan News Agency, 01.09.15: The PP to urgently reform the law to be able to suspend Mas from office http://www.catalannewsagency.com/politics/item/the-pp-to-urgently-reform-the-law-to-be-able-to-suspend-mas-from-office

Catalan News Agency, 29.08.15: Thousands attend rally in support of pro-independence coalition ‘Junts pel Sí’ http://www.catalannewsagency.com/catalonia-independence/item/thousands-attend-rally-in-support-of-pro-independence-coalition-junts-pel-si?category_id=40

El País, 10.09.15: Pro-independence parties will win slim majority at election — CIS poll http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/09/10/inenglish/1441885406_710752.html

---