The troubling legal and political uncertainty facing Catalonia

There was still no end in sight in February 2018 to the political uncertainty in Catalonia following the Catalan election of 21 December 2017.

The author wrote that the issue had raised questions over wider processes of constitutional reform in Spain. He highlighted that constitutional systems tend to make amendments difficult precisely to avoid short-term political winds driving the state in directions which may be damaging to minority interests.

But while constitutions should not be carried away by every political tide and current, where there was a tidal wave of opinion, they need to move and accommodate or they risked being swept away.

Follow the Catalan situation through 2018 through these ESO records:

+ Catalonia elects Quim Torra as new leader, breaking political impasse, May 2018
+ Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont arrested in Germany, March 2018
+ Catalan parties call for a leading figure in the region, March 2018
+ Main pro-independence parties in Catalonia reach leadership agreement as Parliament convenes for the first time following regional election, January 2018

Politico, 13-14.11.18: [Opinion]: To solve Catalonia, Spain needs a new constitution https://www.politico.eu/article/to-solve-catalonia-spain-needs-a-new-constitution/

The Local.es, 13.12.17: [Analysis]: Does Spain need to reform its constitution? https://www.thelocal.es/20171213/analysis-does-spain-need-to-reform-its-constitution

EUObserver, 09.10.17: Spanish constitution needs overhaul to avert Catalonia crisis https://euobserver.com/opinion/139339

Wikipedia: Constitution of Spain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Spain

EU Law Analysis, 06.11.17: [Blog]: The EU and the Spanish constitutional crisis http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eu-and-the-spanish-constitutional-crisis/

AALEP, 12.10.17: Spain needs constitutional reform http://www.aalep.eu/spain-needs-constitutional-reform

CER: Insight, October 2017: Crunch time in Catalonia: Why Spain needs a constitutional overhaul http://www.europeansources.info/record/crunch-time-in-catalonia-why-spain-needs-a-constitutional-overhaul/

LSE European Institute: EuroppBlog, 11.04.18: Finding a way out of the Catalan labyrinth http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/04/11/finding-a-way-out-of-the-catalan-labyrinth/

LSE European Institute: EuroppBlog, 03.07.18: The Catalan and Spanish crisis: A European perspective http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/07/03/the-catalan-and-spanish-crisis-a-european-perspective/

The Guardian, 01.06.18: Catalan independence crisis at top of new Spain PM’s in-tray https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/01/catalonia-independence-crisis-new-spain-pm-pedro-sanchez-mariano-rajoy

The Conversation, 07.06.18: What a new government in Spain means for Catalonia https://theconversation.com/what-a-new-government-in-spain-means-for-catalonia-97724

The Guardian, 03.06.18: Catalan leader calls for end to 'indisputable unity' of Spain https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/03/catalan-leader-calls-end-indisputable-unity-spain-jordi-sanchez

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