Thawing relations between Madrid and Barcelona

The dialogue is officially revived between Madrid and Barcelona. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez received Catalan President Quim Torra on Monday at the Moncloa Palace. The meeting, announced with fanfare, is mostly a symbolic gesture that marks the will to lower the tension, after months of unprecedented clashes between the central government of Madrid and the independence majority that governs in Barcelona.

The Catalan leader arrived by offering two pounds and a bottle of ratafia liqueur to break the ice, but we do not know much about the content of the conversation that followed. The important thing is that it took place, in order to be able to turn the page of the trusteeship of the region and put back on track the institutional relations between the two entities, nine months after the holding of the referendum of self-determination which had threatened to blast the unity of Spain.

Concrete Topics

The Spanish Vice President, Carmen Calvo now announces wanting " to find a political answer to a political question ", and to reboot a communication " standardized and without short circuit " to start working committees and finally talk about financing, employment, budget, public works or social rights. " It's about solving the problems of Catalan society and caring about all citizens, regardless of who they vote for ", she insists, visibly pleased to rebuild the links with a region that contributes 20% of Spanish GDP and 30% of the country's exports.

For his part, Quim Torra also salutes a " open dialogue, a long and sincere meeting" while recalling that he does not give up anything: the future of Catalonia continues to pbad, according to him, by a referendum of self-determination. " We did not negotiate anything ," he said, leaving the meeting, claiming the rights of the Catalans to decide their future.

The tone changed

On the merits , the differences remain intact between Madrid and Barcelona. No question for the central government to touch on territorial integrity. But the tone has changed since Pedro Sánchez came to power.

After the Rajoy government's total refusal to open any debate on the Catalan question, the socialist leader, on the contrary, offers dialogue and thrills the federal cord by proposing to move towards a more responsive constitutional reform. diversity of the country. " It is therefore increasingly difficult for separatists to present themselves as victims of an obscurantist central power that would mistreat the Catalan identity ", explains the political scientist Fernando Vallespin.

Independence loses

In fact, this more open approach seems to satisfy a good part of Catalan society wishing to rebuild coexistence with the rest of Spain. According to a recent poll published by the daily El Periodico de Catalunya, 62% of Catalans are in favor of negotiating greater autonomy in Spain, while only 21.5% are in favor costs on the road to independence.

Cécile Thibaud

Correspondent in Madrid