GOBIERNO DE ESPAÑA Joint Crisis: Spanish Constitutional Crisis (2017) Chaired by Reyna Dixit Session XXIII Gobierno de España Joint Crisis: Spanish Constitutional Crisis of 2017 Topic A: Addressing Public Corruption Topic B: Establishing a Unified Spain Committee Overview there has long been a separatist movement within Catalonia, whose calls for an The Kingdom of Spain is a multi- independence referendum grow stronger by faceted nation rich in history and culture. the day. Spain has several linguistic groups, and each In addition to regional tensions, the group holds pride in their unique heritage. Spanish government is infamous for public Although Castilian Spanish is the official corruption. Those among the accused range and most widely-spoken language, other in importance from mayors to top business significant languages include Catalan, leaders to Princess Cristina herself.5 Given Galician, Basque, and Aranese.1 Spain’s already dire economic situation, the Spain has a total of 17 autonomous graft cannot continue to flourish, lest the regions, each with its own rich history, public loses even more confidence in the culture, and even language variation.2 All of institutions of the country. these regions are united under various This committee takes place on classical institutions of Spain: the Catholic October 1, 2017. These issues cannot be Church, the government and Prime postponed, and the committee must Minister, and above all, the Spanish Crown. immediately decide how and when to act to As one notably prolific region of unify the country and restore discipline to its Spain, Catalonia contributes a large portion public institutions. of Spain’s economy and development.3 In Note: This guide will reference events addition to having its own language and that take place after the October 27, 2017, culture, the region also controls its own Catalonian independence referendum to policing force and other general government provide delegates with context. However, services. However, the region of Catalonia delegates should not feel pressured to follow has long had a contentious history with the the course of history at all. Spanish crown. During the Franco regime in the 20th century, Catalonia’s political rights were drastically curbed, and all regional languages and symbols were banned.4 Although autonomy has since been restored, 1CIA World Factbook. “Spain.” 2019. 3 Minder, Rafael. “Crisis in Catalonia: The Independence Vote and https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- Its Fallout”. NY Times, 2017 factbook/geos/sp.html 4Encarnación, Omar. “The Ghost of Franco Still Haunts 2Specia M., Gladstone R., Minder R. “Spain is a Collection of Catalonia.” Foreign Policy, 2017. Glued Regions. Or Maybe Not So Glued.” NY Times, 2017. 5 Torres, Diego. “Spain’s Never-Ending Corruption Problem.” Politico, 2017. Gobierno de España 1 Parliamentary Procedure As a Joint Crisis Committee, the actions of this committee will be directly This committee will follow standard affected by, and will directly affect, the rules of Model United Nations proceedings of the JCC: Catalunya parliamentary procedure. As this is a crisis committee. The content of all crisis updates committee, actions will be taken through will be communication with the other continuous directives as opposed to full committee and may come in many forms: draft resolutions. While these directives do full group actions, including communiques not need preambulatory clauses, we expect and actions in directives, which are subject them to be written with the quality and to a vote; or actions by individual delegates, specificity of operative clauses. Directives which include personal directives and joint should also include a sponsor and signatory personal directives. list. Crisis updates will also feature throughout the committee, and delegates will be expected to tailor their directives, communiques, and personal directives to resolve the problems introduced by the crisis updates. Gobierno de España 2 Delegate Biographies: Mariano Rajoy Pedro Sanchez Prime Minister of Spain Member of Parliament - Madrid Mariano Rajoy is the leader of the People’s Sanchez is the leader of the Spanish Party (PP) and oversees the executive Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). This party proceedings of the country. He, as leader of the opposes the People’s Party, which is Government of Spain, stands strongly against conservative, because of its social democratic any forces that would see the breakup of views. The party has a large number of seats in Spanish unity and destruction of the Spanish the Catalan parliament but still supports identity. Rajoy previously led the conservative Spanish nationalism.9 PP to file a constitutional appeal in 2006 that struck down self-rule laws, revoking Cristóbal Montoro Catalonia’s existing autonomy.6 Minister of Finance and Public Administration Montoro is the Minister of Finance and Alfonso Dastis Public Administration of the People’s Party and Minister of Foreign Affairs works in Rajoy’s government. Previously, he Dastis is a Spanish diplomat from the was a member of the European Parliament for Independent party and is a part of Mariano the People’s Party and since 1993, has Rajoy’s government as the Minister of Foreign represented Madrid in Spain’s congressional Affairs. He additionally served in Spain’s structure.10 Diplomatic Corps before becoming the Minister. He has claimed that many of the pictures taken Manuela Carmena of police violence during the voting day are fake Mayor of Madrid and that Russia played a role in the vote.7 Carmena is a retired lawyer and judge who currently serves as the Mayor of Madrid, Rafael Hernando Fraile the Spanish capital. Previously, she increased Member of Parliament - Almería Province social spending in Madrid and was investigated Hernando is a Member of Parliament for by the PP for not complying with their spending the Spanish Congress of Deputies. He is the guidelines.11 Spokesperson of the People’s Party and the President of the New Generations of the People’s Party, a youth organization in Spanish regions.8 6 Eldridge, Alison. “Mariano Rajoy.” Britannica, 2019. 9 “Pedro Sanchez.” Independent, 2019. 7 “Alfonso Dastis Quecedo.”Politico, 2019. 10 Junquera, Natalia. “Cristóbal Montoro: ‘Now it matters to be 8 “Rafael Hernando: A lifeguard who charges as a famous. The policy is emptying out.’” El Pais, 2019. spokesperson.” el Plural, 2017. 11 “Manuela Carmena.” Global Influence, 2019. Gobierno de España 3 Judge Pablo Llarena María Dolores de Cospedal García Magistrate of the Second Chamber of the Minister of Defence of Spain and the PP’s Supreme Court Secretary-General Llarena serves as the judge of Spain’s Maria Dolores de Cospedal Garcia is a Supreme Court, overseeing the case of Catalan member of the People’s Party (PP). She warned separatists against the state. He warned the Catalunya that the Spanish government will use president of Catalonia about the escalation of any tools necessary to stop ballot boxes from violence if the referendum was held, but being put out for the independence referendum nonetheless, he ignored it and continued to and that anyone who collaborates with the endorse the referendum.12 organization of the referendum will face criminal charges.16 Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez Minister of the Interior of Spain Germán López Iglesias As a former judge, Zoido Alvarez is part Director-General of Police of Spain of the People’s Party (PP). He is responsible for Iglesias is a member of the People’s Party carrying out investigations into all allegations of (PP). He is the director of the police force that police misconduct and the disproportionate use was responsible for the violence that was of force by law enforcement authorities in invoked on the day of the referendum against Catalunya.13 the people of Catalonia.17 Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría José Manuel Holgado Merino Deputy Prime Minister of Spain and Minister of General Director of the Civil Guard the Presidency Merino is the current director of the civil Soraya Saenz de Santamaria is a member guard (Guardia Civil), which is the law of the People’s Party (PP) as the Deputy Prime enforcement of Spain and acts as the police Minister of Spain. As one of Prime Minister along with the National Police Corps (CNP). Rajoy’s right hands, Rajoy enforced Article 155 These two organizations are responsible for the of the Spanish Constitution on the Catalan incidents that occurred on voting day for government to dismiss the president of Catalan, Catalonia’s referendum.18 she became responsible for overseeing the functions of the government of Catalunya.14 José Antonio Nieto Ballesteros Secretary of State Security Rafael Catalá Polo Ballesteros was named Secretary of State Minister of Justice of Spain Security during the government of Mariano Polo is a member of the People’s Party Rajoy, making him second in the interior. He (PP) and currently serves as Spain’s Minister of was reproached by the Congress of Deputies in Justice. Prior to this, Polo served as Secretary of June of 2017, having advised Ignacio Gonzalez State for Justice and the Secretary of State for that he was being investigated for Operation Infrastructure, Transporting, and Housing. The Lezo. Before being Secretary of State Security, he Congress of Deputies passed a motion of was mayor of Cordoba.19 censure against him because of his actions in relation to certain cases of corruption.15 José Manuel Maza 12 Minder, Rafael. “Spanish Judge Drops Pursuit of Puigdemont, 16 “Curriculum vitae Maria Dolores de Cospedal García.” Catalonia Separatist Leader.” New York Times, 2018. Fundación Humanismo y Democracia, 2019. 13 “Juan Ignacio Zoido Alvarez.” European Parliament, 2019. 17 “Germán López Iglesias.” Ministerio del Interior, 2019. 14 “Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría: what the truth hides.” Le Plural, 18 “José Manuel Holgado Merino.” Portal de la Transparencia, 15 “Catala Polo, Rafael.” Congreso de los Diputados, 2019. 2019. 19 “José Antonio Nieto.” Libertad Digital, 2019.