Catalonia’s new regional president, Carles Puigdemont, acknowledged in his first broadcast interview since taking office that the pro-independence government does not yet have enough public support to push for a break with Spain.
“Do we have enough force to declare the independence of Catalonia with this parliamentary composition? Not yet,” Puigdemont told TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio on Thursday night.
The new Catalan leader said the regional election on September 27 — when the pro-independence coalition Junts pel Sí came first but without a majority — had created a “post-autonomy and pre-independence” atmosphere. However, in order to declare independence a majority of Catalans must endorse a new constitution in a referendum, he said.
“The percentage will be reached when the constitution is put to a referendum,” said the former mayor of Girona, who replaced Artur Mas as head of the Generalitat.
“The goal is for a majority of the people who voted ‘no’ in a referendum to vote ‘yes’ to a constitution with which they can identify more than with the Spanish one,” he added.
Puigdemont said the maximum period of 18 months given by the separatists to “disconnect from Spain” could vary depending on how the process, which he assured would be done with proper legal guarantees, evolves.