In 2010, the Spanish constitutional court annulled a large part of the Catalan statute of autonomy negotiated between Catalonia and the previous prime minister, Jose Luis Zapatero. This demolished one of the main agreements achieved during the Spanish transition to democracy - Catalonia's recovery of self-governance.

Spain's parties must steel themselves to do the sensible thing and treat the Catalonia issue with the seriousness it deserves.

It is crucial that there is a government in Madrid secure enough to engage with Catalonia politically rather than continue the denial and legal obstructionism of the Rajoy years.

Carles Puigdemont Quotes