Professor Alison Ribeiro de Menezes, Head of the University of Warwick's School of Modern Languages and Cultures, says: “Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy has dismissed the Catalan regional government and called elections in the autonomous region. This could be a risky move by Madrid, and there's all to play for.

On the one hand, the vote could strengthen the pro-unity parties in the Catalan parliament, especially if the independence parties do not participate. On the other hand, were those independence parties to run and to consolidate their position by retaining or even increasing their slender majority in Catalonia, the vote would surely be interpreted internationally as a clear, democratic confirmation of separatist sentiment.

The most severe political crisis to affect Spain since the 1981 attempted coup d'état could yet reveal major surprises including the prosecution of Carles Puigdemont. So what happens now?”

October 30, 2017

For more information contact:

Andrea Cullis

DD: 02476 528050

M: 07825 314874

E: a dot cullis at warwick dot ac dot uk