No ordinary vote
The PP government’s instincts will inevitably prevail and the Catalan referendum will be far from typical
On the day of the referendum our only guarantee of success will be the certitude that choosing independence means supporting a better project than Madrid’s immobilism. This is our civic fail-safe.
Exceptional times demand that we watch over our democratic values with the utmost vigilance, as positions tend to become simplistic and the debate might be jeopardised when nuance fades and blind allegiance is expected. In order to avoid this, the referendum’s democratic victory can only rely on providing compelling evidence that the alternative to Spain’s worn-out project is better for the people, and that the consequences of acquiescence would be disastrous.
Yesterday president Puigdemont admitted that “only the people will make a victory possible”, in the same way as they turned the 2014 unofficial vote and the demonstrations on September 11 into exemplary displays of civility. The referendum bill has now been unveiled and the process is going ahead.
There remain some important unknowns, such as the purchase of ballot boxes and the source of the electoral roll. A respectful balance must be struck between keeping the public informed and the magnitude of the challenge. Most Catalans wish to cast a ballot and they expect their president to call the referendum formally. Its credibility will contribute to its success, but we should realise that this will be no ordinary vote. The PP government’s instincts will inevitably prevail and the Catalan referendum will be far from typical. The people’s reaction will be crucial.
