ANC calls for demonstration on 28 Feb to urge pro-independence movement to close an investiture agreement

A demonstration has been called to urge pro-independence parties to close an investiture agreement. The Catalan National Assembly (ANC) wants a "pro-independence government now", and has called on people to take to the streets on Sunday 28 February to demand it. "We want to celebrate that we have overcome the barrier of 50% of the votes and encourage pro-independence parties to form a Government," said the president of the ANC, Elisenda Paluzie, on Friday. Paluzie has also reported that the demonstration will happen in Plaça Catalunya in Barcelona at 12 noon and, meanwhile, has encouraged ANC sympathisers to participate in the protests in support of Pablo Hasél. However, beyond "encouraging" pro-independence groups to form a government, there is also a pressure factor. "We want concrete actions that lead to independence," insisted Paluzie. That is, for the ANC, not only parties that "call themselves pro-independence" are needed, but also a government that "moves towards independence". How? According to Paluzie, with actions and not words, such as "promoting fiscal sovereignty" or getting rid of "the big oligopolies", without renouncing to a "necessary disobedience".

Everything depends, however, on ERC, JxCat and CUP drawing a joint strategy. For Paluzie, this is essential: "We cannot squander this result, we need a different government from the one of the previous legislature". That is why the key is to "find consensus". The ANC admits that the parties' strategies are "different", but urges them to achieve the "objective they have in common". Despite not specifying whether this path of consensus has to prioritise dialogue to unilateralism or the other way around, Paluzie has pointed out that it is necessary to "combine" the two options. A difficult goal to overcome after the general secretary of ERC, Marta Vilalta, has affirmed that the future Government will not be an executive to "return to unilateralism" and that JxCat continues to view dialogue with the State with misgivings. "ERC has never renounced unilateralism in its programme, and although right now it has different short-term rhythms, it does not have the entire pro-independence majority," Paluzie has refuted the Republicans' refusal to unilateralism. "How long will we ask for an agreed referendum and amnesty?" wondered the president of the entity.

Although the differences are similar to those of four years ago, the ANC trusts that the CUP will act as a "meeting" point. "The referendum was not in JxSí's programme yet the consensus was found to do it", repeated Paluzie, who trusts that a consensus will be found between ERC's toning down and JxCat's hyping up. Now the entity seeks to overcome differences with a "strong", "united" executive with "sense of state" to then, if the conditions are given, apply a unilateral declaration of independence.

To do so, the Assembly will take an active role. Paluzie has also announced that she will promote "bilateral meetings" with the pro-sovereignty parties to seek this course. After the elections, a new stage of the Independence bid has started, and the ANC wants to bring forth "the common areas of parties' programmes" and not "the divergences". "You have a co-responsibility", said Paluzie, questioning the formations after the support they have received on 14-F. Obtaining over 50% of the votes, for Paluzie, also means "overcoming differences". In fact, in its roadmap approved two years ago, the ANC pointed out that the independence process must be completed if the parties in favour of the Catalan Republic obtain more than 50% of the votes in the elections. The next step, according to the Assembly, is to apply the unilateral declaration of independence. This path only has the programmatic support of JxCat and, therefore, does not fall within the consensus they are seeking right now.