Catalan Government Sees Opportunity Amid Election Setback

Dolors Feliu, President of the Catalan National Assembly speaks on stage in Plaza de Sant Jaume with a flag of Catalonia (Senyera) above her during the demonstration. Around 500 people gathered in Plaza de Sant Jaume to demand the independence of Catalonia. This demonstration was organized by the civil organization Assemblea Nacional Catalana under the slogan, Prou enganys! Independència Ara (Enough of deception, independence now). PHOTO BY PACO FRIERE/GETTY IMAGES 

Neither self-criticism nor any intention of responding to Sunday’s setback at the polls with an early election. The Catalan government decided the glass was half full and did not analyse the reasons for the poor results obtained by Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) this Sunday in the general election.

 It focused on analysing that the Catalan pro-independence forces hold the key to the next Spanish prime minister’s investiture, for which it advised Pedro Sánchez to “make a move”.