The shit in Spain falls mainly in the fan

[Drakken]

I think Rajoy will proceed as if an UDI was indeed in effect. Which personally I think it's a mistake.

According to El Pais, it seems you are right.

El Gobierno español interpreta que la intervención del presidente de la Generalitat es una declaración de secesión

https://politica.elpais.com/politica/2017/10/08/actualidad/1507486997_515327.html?rel=mas

[Valmy]

I think Rajoy will proceed as if an UDI was indeed in effect. Which personally I think it's a mistake.

Rajoy is not exactly a master strategist is he? I mean unless he is playing 4-D chess and only looking like a fool.

[Iormlund]

I can smell the poo from here. CiU was a Christian-Democrat business-friendly party for the past 40 years. And he's managed to have every single company in the Ibex 35 stock index leave the region in less than a week.

if companies are smart they'll keep moving. you'll probably get this thing happening every few decades, especially if you give them goodies for staying.

Not decades, years. Last attempt was less than 3 years ago.

They've been playing this game for decades, and Spain always relented, until the only thing left to devolve was taxing authority. Which is not something you want to give up when you can be in this very same situation in a few years.

[celedhring]

I think Rajoy will proceed as if an UDI was indeed in effect. Which personally I think it's a mistake.

Rajoy is not exactly a master strategist is he? I mean unless he is playing 4-D chess and only looking like a fool.

His only strategy is to wait out until political opponents shoot their own foot, or others come and fix things he's supposed to fix (hello Mario Draghi). For once, even though he's let this situation fester, I hope he sticks to his guns through the end and does nothing, or lets somebody else do it.

[Iormlund]

I hope he just does nothing. And I mean nothing. Not even speaking about this. All he has to do is wait and watch silently as Catalonia's business flee and their politicians turn on each other.

But who am I kidding. He will find a way to fuck this up.

[Drakken]

I hope he just does nothing. And I mean nothing. Not even speaking about this. All he has to do is wait and watch silently as Catalonia's business flee and their politicians turn on each other.

But who am I kidding. He will find a way to fuck this up.

If there is anything History shows, it is that it is very hard to stop once the drums of war have already started to beat - especially if you are one of those beating it. And Rajoy is already at war (with words only so far) with the Catalan Generalitat since the whole mess has started.

[celedhring]

Looks like there might be an address from Rajoy this same night. Isn't there any football he can watch?

[Iormlund]

Oh ffs!

[celedhring]

Spain's largest publishing company (based in Barcelona) announces that it's moving to Madrid right after the UDI-or-not.

[Iormlund]

Not that surprising. The ownership of Planeta was always vocal about it.

[Valmy]

Um isn't this starting to add up as far as jobs lost? Or is everybody just planning on taking the train to Madrid and moving with the company?

Madrid realestate sounds like the winning investment.

[Iormlund]

Um isn't this starting to add up as far as jobs lost? Or is everybody just planning on taking the train to Madrid and moving with the company?

Madrid realestate sounds like the winning investment.

Most companies are just changing "address" for now. It's mostly symbolic, except for the banks (which need access to ECB financing and deposit guarantee schemes). That been said, it will have a definite effect on local taxes, as some of those are paid to your city of "residence". Barcelona will have to plug a big hole in its budget next year.

[Drakken]

Looks like there might be an address from Rajoy this same night. Isn't there any football he can watch?

Well, for what remains as options, I believe it is the lesser of the two evils: If he is going to kick the Catalan separatists in the balls, better do it now than tomorrow.

I mean, why wait and let the situation fester any further? You do not know if there will be clashes in the streets of Barcelona tonight - and people getting killed or seriously hurt.

[mongers]

Damn Canadians are like the hobbits of this world, it can be on the brink of chaos and they'll still wish to discuss the niceties of their constitution and which obscure politician is do what,when and why.

[viper37]

Madrid has indicated that it's willing to talk of anything outside of independence, Congress has even started a commission for Constitutional reform. On that count, they succeeded, yet they seemed to prefer to jump off the cliff.

In a shocking turn of events CI is misrepresenting the whole situation? Amazing.

They could have talked before the referendum.  They could have said something to the effect they were willing to talk.
But they used the hard line, and now they are backed in a corner: either they up the violence&repression a notch and they look like Syria, or they admit they are willing to talk.

If they were serious about talking, they would have done it before.

Now, I think it's just a ploy to defuse the situation and hope the nationalist sentiment of Catolonia are toned down while pro-union and moderates in Catalonia marginalize the ultra-seperatist.

That is my 0,02$.