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Home , Carlos Lesmes, Dolors Bassa, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Meritxell Serret

WMHSMUN XXXIV

JCC Catalan Secession Movement 2017: vs.

Background Guide

“Unprecedented committees. Unparalleled debate. Unmatched fun.” Letters From the Directors

Dear Delegates,

Hello! My name is Morgan Birkenstock, and I will be serving as your in-room director at WMHSMUN XXXIV. I’m thrilled to be directing the Catalan side of the Catalan Secession Movement JCC and I cannot wait to get to know you all, albeit via Zoom. I am a freshman here at William & Mary, originally from Arlington, Virginia, and I’m majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Classical Studies. Though I am not currently studying it, international relations is a topic that has always intrigued me. This interest led me to Model United Nations in seventh grade, founding my school’s first MUN team with just three other people! Since then, my love for Model United Nations has only grown and I am beyond excited to serve at WMHSMUN this year. Outside of MUN, I love to read, travel, and listen to literally any and every music genre there is. Enough about myself, let’s get on to the committee! You will be serving as a member of the . Our government held the National Catalan Independence Referendum on October 1st, 2017 with immense backlash from Spain’s governing bodies. Spain threatened the Catalonian people with fines for poll workers; they seized ballots and cell phones and the Guardia Civil even raided our polling stations. Their actions were criticized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, yet Spain still has not let up. Despite all this, Catalonia persevered, and the results showed that over 90% of voters were in favor of independence. But the Spanish government refuses to recognize our sovereignty. Thus, we need to work together to establish a powerful new nation while in the face of adversity. We must create relationships with the European Union and the world, we must solidify our new government, and we must secure our independence from Spain. The fate of Catalonia is in your hands. If you have any questions about our committee, WMHSMUN, William & Mary, or anything else, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to working with you all, and good luck!

Morgan Birkenstock [email protected] Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement

Dear Delegates,

Hello, my name is Andrew Herrup and I will be your (zoom) committee director for the Spanish side of our Catalan Secession movement Joint Crisis this year at WMHSMUN XXXIV. Like Morgan, I am also a freshman on campus this year, who is also majoring Chemistry, with a possible minor in French. I am originally from Alexandria, Virginia, where I did Model UN at my High School all four years, one as President of the Club, where my main goal was to increase awareness about international and humanitarian crises. I am looking forward to hearing each delegate’s opinions and unique take on our difficult topic. Outside of Model UN, I write for our school newspaper, listen to music, watch TV shows (Arrested Development) and spend too much time on Tik Tok. On to the Topic at hand, if you are on the Spanish side you will be assigned a member of the “” or Spanish Parliament. On October 1st, 2017, the devolved Catalonian Parliament, or Generalitat de Catalunya, held a controversial referendum on possible independence from Spain. This referendum was vehemently opposed by those in power in , and those voting in Catalonia were met by Federal soldiers and Police, which did their best to disrupt voting, including fining poll workers and others involved in the independence movement. Despite this, over 90% of voters elected to leave Spain, but less than 45% of the voting population participated. In Spain’s eyes, this made the referendum invalid, as a majority of citizens did not even vote, and many opposed to the referendum boycotted it entirely. Some Spanish actions were condemned by international Human Rights Organizations. It is up to you to decide how Spain should move forward, and how to best protect the present and future Republic. If you have any question about our committee, WMHSMUN, or anything at all, please do not hesitate to email me. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and working to solve this crisis.

Andrew Herrup [email protected]

2 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to WMHSMUN online! We are super excited to be working with you this weekend to have some amazing and engaging debate and discussions about a really important issue facing Spain and Europe today: the future of Catalonia. This fight for freedom on one hand is seen on the other as a fight for division. You have the opportunity to craft a better way forward for Spain and Catalonia and I cannot wait to see what you all come up with! Some more information about me: My name is Steven Vacnin and I will be serving as your crisis director for both sides of the JCC. I am a senior at the College of William and Mary majoring in international relations and minoring in history with a focus on public health and Hispanic studies. I am William and Mary’s current model UN head delegate and have previously served as a director of the travel team for two years as well as the Undersecretary General for Committees at &MUN, William and Mary’s College MUN Conference. Outside of all things MUN, I am super involved in improv on campus with my group, Dad Jeans Improv, and I am a member of the Phi Sigma Pi national honor society. Before this year, I spent about 5 months living in Spain where I studied Spanish Politics and Hispanic Studies, with a particular focus on the history of Catalonia and the other Autonomous Provinces of Spain. With this in mind, this committee is of a special interest to me and I cannot wait to see if you all as delegates are able to tackle this issue better than the policy makers who messed it up so badly the first time! I am very much looking forward to seeing all of your creative crisis plans take shape real soon! If you have any questions or want to just chat, please feel free to reach out to me at my email address below!

Steven Vacnin [email protected]

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Overview of Catalonia

Catalonia is a region of Spain in the northeast corner bordering France, Andorra, and the Mediterranean. It is comprised of four provinces: Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, and Lleida. Geographically, Catalonia is very diverse, ranging from the low-lying Mediterranean shorelines and the Catalanide coastal plains to the mountains and valleys of the Pyrenees with the Ebro, Llobregat, and Ter rivers and their basins. The majority of the Catalan population resides near the coastline where, historically, the climate is more favorable to grow crops. Almonds, olives, grapes, and corn grow well in the Mediterranean environment, so early settlements were focused in those areas. Even still, Catalonia’s main agricultural exports are wine, almonds, olive oil, rice, potatoes, and corn. However, agriculture only accounts for a small percentage of Catalonia’s GDP; most of its economy is supported by the textile industry. As early as 1283, Catalan textile manufacturing was a prominent industry both for Spain and the rest of Europe. Textile production continued to support the region all the way until Catalonia’s industrial expansion period in the 1950s. Metalworking, food-processing, pharmaceuticals, papermaking, and chemical production took over and have now overtaken the textile industry in terms of importance to Catalonia. Currently, most textile production occurs in the cities of Barcelona, Sabadell, and Terrassa while the rest of the region has moved into other industries, including tourism. It is important to note that Catalonia is one of, if not the most important region of Spain in terms of Spain’s economy, gross domestic product, and imports/exports, accounting for 17% of Spain’s GDP with only 15% of the population and 6% of its land mass.

History of Catalan/Spanish Relations

Historically, the region of Catalonia has traded hands many times. First, it was occupied by the Romans until the 5th century, when it was overtaken by Gothic Germany. It then went to the Moors in 712 but was quickly invaded by Charlemagne who incorporated it into his dominion in the later 8th century. Catalonia quickly fell out of the hands of the Franks and it was reestablished as its own state until 1137, when Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona married Queen Petronila of Aragon. Thus, Catalonia and Aragon were united and controlled trade within their region of the Mediterranean through the 14th century. In 1410, the line of succession died, and found themselves at odds with the Aragonese, eventually escalating to a full-blown rebellion under the rule

4 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement of John II. The revolt died down with the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Navarre (the son of John II) and Isabella of Castile in 1469. Spain was once again unified and able to maintain its autonomy until things fell apart again in the 17th century. The Spanish monarchy was declining in importance as the Generalitat (the national assembly) took more of a role in governing the nation. This change in power led to the first of many Catalan separatist movements, starting in 1640. Catalonia repeatedly revolted against the Generalitat and placed themselves under France’s protection, but plans for real revolts were thwarted every time. The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) marked a turning point for Catalonia. This war rose out of conflict between the English monarchy, the Habsburgs of Austria, the Bourbons of France, and the Dutch monarchy. Following the death of the heirless King Charles II (of the Habsburg line) in 1700, there was to be a transition of power to one of Louis XIV’s grandsons. While at first it appeared as though things would go smoothly, the situation quickly fell to chaos as several European kingdoms rushed to claim the territory. Catalonia declared its support for Archduke Charles of Spain, but when the Bourbons ended up with control of their region, Catalans felt the repercussions of their ill-placed support. Philip V of France completely abolished their autonomous government, including their constitution and the Generalitat, in 1714. There was little resistance to this from the Catalan people due to the immense power the Bourbons held over them; there was truly nothing they could do The region then entered a longer period of stability. However, the Catalan separatist movement was reignited in the mid 1800s due to the growing Spanish conservative movement, Carlism, which opposed a centralized government and supported a politically active Catholic Church. In the 1850s, Carlists in Catalonia began to promote not just the idea of Catalan independence, but of . They advocated for the revival of the and their own separate press and media. This became known as the Renaixença, and the movement hit its peak in 1876 when far liberal and secular movements in Catalonia joined with the Carlists, their conservative counterparts, in favor of an independent Catalonia. Together, these two groups were initially successful in beginning to slowly reestablish their autonomy separate from Spain. 1913 marked an important political shift in Catalonia when the four provinces were granted a limited joint self-government, creating the Commonwealth of Catalonia, ruled by President . However, only 12 years later in 1925, Prime Minister Miguel Primo de Rivera took control of the Spanish government and repealed any legislation that contributed to the establishment of a semi-independent Catalonia. The harsh actions taken by Prime

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Minister Primo de Rivera led to the formation of a new, left wing, pro-independence party called the Esquerra Republicana. This party had several major victories in the 1931 election cycle when they won many municipal elections, and thus the party announced their plans for a Catalan Republic. Just one year later they were able to come to an agreement with the Spanish government and Catalonian semi-independence was reinstated. Despite this, Catalonia was quickly stripped of its autonomy when the Nationalist party took power after the Spanish Civil War of 1939 and took a hard line against Catalan nationalism and independence. These repressive policies were slowly lessened over the years, but this did not satisfy the desire for an independent Catalonia. In response, the new party successfully pushed for an autonomous Catalonia in 1979.

Recent Tensions Between Catalonia and Spain

In 2006, the region changed its status to “nation”, but Spanish courts struck down this decision in 2010, stating that Catalans were a nationality, but not a nation itself. This action inflamed the already tense relations between Catalonia and Spain. To further the situation, Catalans blamed the lasting effects of the 2008 financial crisis on Spain and the central government, claiming that since their region is more affluent compared to the rest of the country, they gave more to Madrid than they got in return. Scotland’s 2014 referendum to determine whether they should remain in the United Kingdom inspired Catalonia and they soon followed suit. The Convergence and Union party leader, , organized an informal poll for the Catalan people to vote on their independence from Spain (it was originally organized as a non-binding referendum, but the Spanish Prime Minister, , sent the referendum to the Courts to determine its legality, and Mas reframed the referendum as a poll to bypass Rajoy’s delays). Around one third of registered voters participated and 80% voted pro-independence. Madrid continued to oppose any separatist movements while Catalonia voted in new members of parliament, making nearly half of their parliament part of the pro-independence “Junts pel Sí” coalition. With the new parliament instated, the Catalan government voted on November 9, 2015 to “peacefully disconnect from the Spanish state.” The central took issue with this immediately and Federal Courts declared Catalonia’s bid to begin the separation process from Spain unconstitutional. Following this decision, the Catalan regional assembly decided to elect a new president; they chose , the mayor of Girona. Mas stepped down and took a

6 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement position in the parliament, but in March 2017, he was found guilty of contempt by a Barcelona court for calling the initial referendum / “poll” in 2014. Puigdemont, seeing this, vowed to continue the fight for independence and proved it by announcing in June 2017 that a binding referendum on the topic of Catalan independence would be held on October 1, 2017.

2017 Catalan Independence Referendum

Tensions between Madrid and Barcelona were running at an all-time high. Spanish officials began taking drastic steps to cancel (or at least delay) the vote. Thousands of national police officers in riot gear were brought into Barcelona, Terrassa, Tarragona, and other large cities in Catalonia; they seized empty ballots before the vote and completed ones after, and they sealed off entrances to any public buildings being used as polling stations. Over a dozen Catalan officials were arrested leading up to the election. October 1st finally arrived, and as expected, chaos ensued. Spanish national police went to great lengths to prevent votes from being cast, including firing rubber bullets at protesters and voters and beating them with batons. They even busted into polling stations and were seen dragging voters out by their hair, taking ballot boxes with them. By the time the violence had ended, there were nearly 900 reported injuries. Both Catalonia and Spain rushed to claim victory; Catalonia said 2.3 million voters had cast a ballot and over 90% approved the split, while Spain said they had successfully disrupted the vote. No outside sources could confirm what had really happened, and the results of the vote could not be confirmed independently. No matter which depiction of October 1st’s events is true, it can be agreed that the vote had left both pro- and anti-independence supporters more polarized than ever. Actions taken by both sides have been criticized by the world. Many nations, including China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States stated they supported Spain in its efforts to maintain Catalonia under its rule. On the other hand, representatives for international agencies like the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Watch attacked Spain and members of its government for condoning such violence against its citizens.

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Dossier

Catalonia

Carles Puidgemont, President Carles Puidgemont is a Catalan pro-independence politician and journalist from Spain. Formerly the Mayor of Girona, Pudigemont serves as the 130th President of Catalonia. He is the co-founder of the National Call for the Republic (CNxR), a pro-independence big-tent political party. Pudigemont began his journalism career in 1982, writing for various local publications and becoming editor-in- chief of El Punt. He was director of the Catalan News Agency from 1999 to 2002 and director of Girona’s House of Culture from 2002 to 2004. Pudigemont gave up journalism to pursue a career in politics in 2006 when he was elected as a member of the for the constituency of Girona. Following an agreement between the Junts pel Si (JxSi), an electoral alliance led by the CDC (Democratic Convergence of Catalonia), and the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP), the Parliament of Catalonia elected Puigdemont as the 130th President of the Government of Catalonia.

Oriol Junqueras, Vice President is a Spanish politician, historian, and academic from Catalonia. A former mayor of Sant Vincenc dels Horts in north-eastern Spain, Junquers serves as Vice President of Catalonia. Furthermore, he is also the President of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). In 2009, Junqueras served as a member of the European Parliament. After the creation of the alliance between JxSi and the CUP, Junqueras was appointed Vice President of Catalonia.

Andreu Mas-Colell, Minister of Economy and Finance Andreu Mas-Colell is a Spanish economist, an expert in microeconomics, and one of the world’s leading mathematical economists. He is the founder of the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics and a professor in the department of Economics at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. His research focuses particularly on the general equilibrium theory in an attempt to explain the behavior of supply, demand, and prices within the Catalonian economy. He is also the author of the most used undergraduate textbook of microeconomics in the world. His other endeavors include the creation of ICREA (Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies)

8 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement to attract the world’s top scientists to perform their research at the 50 different academic institutions throughout Catalonia. He is a member of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, a Catalan nationalist, liberal political party.

Dolors Bassa, Minister of Social Welfare, Employment, and Family is an educator, psychopedagogist, and Catalonian politician who serves as the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, and Families. She is known for her work as a syndicalist in the Spanish trade union, Union General de Trabajadores (General Union of Workers). Before her time in public office, Bassa worked as a Catalan language teacher in from 1979 to 1986 and in Torroella de Montgri from 1986 to 2015. She was also a member of the Generalitat’s Vocational Training Council between 2007 and 2013 as well as having served on the Labour Services of the Generalitat between 2006 and 2014.

Meritxell Borras, Minister of Governance, Public Administration, and Housing Meritxell Borras is a Spanish politician and pharmacist from Catalonia and serves as Catalonia’s Minister of Governance and Public Administration, and Housing. Born in 1964, Borras graduated from the University of Barcelona before joining the pharmaceutical sector. During her years in University, Borras was a member of the Nationalist Youth of Catalonia, pushing for independence of the region from Spain. Furthermore, Borras is the daughter of Jacint Borras, one of the founders of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC), a conservative Catalan nationalist political party now known as the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT).

Antoni Comin, Minister of Health Antoni Comin is a philosopher and Spanish politician from Catalonia. He is currently serving as the Minister of Health for the Catalonian Government. His family has been involved in Spanish politics for quite some time with his father, Alfonso Carlos Comin, being a member of the Communist PSUC. His grandfather, however, contributed to the victory of Dictator Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Comin has a degree in philosophy and political sciences from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Moreover, he is also a journalist for El Mundo, The Ciervo, and RAC1, which are all popular media outlets throughout Spain.

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Minister of the Interior, Jordi Jane Jordi Jane is a Spanish Politician known for his career in both federal and Catalonian politics. While he currently serves as the Minister of the Interior for Catalonia, he previously held the position of Vice-president of El Congresso de Duputados, also known as the . Jane is also known for being the head of the CIU, or the Convergence and Union party, a Catalonian nationalist party with representation in Madrid. During his years in University, he also served as a founder of the Nationalist Youth of Catalonia movement.

Carles Mundo, Minister of Justice Carles Mundo is a Spanish lawyer and politician from Catalonia who serves as the Minister of Justice of Catalonia. Born in 1976, Mundo attended Pompeu Fabra University where he received his degree in law and a master’s degree in Urban Law. In 2006, Mundo became a member of the Bar Association of Barcelona and is currently responsible for the Civil Law sector of the organization. Moreover, Mundo has previously served as the Secretary of Media and Communications from the Generalitat de Catalonia. During his tenure, he supervised the transition of television broadcasts in Spain from analog to digital. Mundo also served as the president of the Catalan News Agency (CAN).

Neus Munte, Minister of the Presidency Neus Munte is a pro-Catalan independence Spanish politician who currently serves as the Minister of the Presidency. In this role as Minister of the Presidency, Neus Munte has the close ear of the President and serves as one of their closest advisors. The Minister of the Presidency oversees the execution of executive action by serving as a liaison between the Communidad Autonoma (Autonomous Community) and local jurisdictions. Munte received a law degree from Barcelona University and a master’s degree in Public law and administrative organization from Pompeu Fabra University.

Jordi Turull, Spokesperson of the Government is a Spanish politician, closely associated with the Together for Catalonia Independence movement, that currently serves as the Spokesperson of the Government. Born in Parets del Valles, Spain, Turull received a degree in law and joined the Nationalist Youth of Catalonia during his years at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In the 1990s, Turull headed the Convergencia I Unio

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(CiU) list in most municipal elections. During this time, Turull also served as a professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He currently serves as the President of Junts pel Si (JxSi).

Raul Romeva, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations, and Transparency Raul Romeva is a Spanish politician who currently serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations, and Transparency. Born in Madrid, he lived in the Spanish capital until he was 9 years old, when he moved to the suburbs of Barcelona. In 1989, Romeva received a degree in economics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and eventually received his PHD in international relations. Before his time in Catalonian politics, Romeva served as the principal aide to the UNESCO Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has also served as an observer for the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1996 and 1997.

Meritxell Ruiz, Minister of Education Meritxell Ruiz is a Spanish Catalonian politician who currently serves as the Minister of Education. In her position, she must balance the role that Catalan nationalism and language will play in the region’s schools and universities. Specifically, in the realm of language, there is much debate over whether it should be made the official language of education in Catalonia instead of Spanish. Before her time in politics, Ruiz worked for La Caixa, one of the largest banking organizations in Spain between 2001 and 2006.

Josep Rull, Minister of Planning and Sustainability Born September 2, 1968, is a Catalan politician who currently serves as the Minister of Planning and Sustainability for Catalonia. He is a graduate of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and is a member of the Illustrious Bar Association of Terrassa. In 1986, he was a member of the Nationalist Youth of Catalonia is Terrassa and was the general secretary of the organization between 1994 and 1998. Furthermore, he worked as a collaborator of the legal services of the Catalan Association of Municipalities and later as the head of the Intuitional Relations of the Board of Waster. As Minister of Planning and Sustainability, it is up to Josep Rull to undertake the process of keeping Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia clean and environmentally friendly. A major point of discussion in his area of expertise is that of the creation of pedestrian only streets and the limiting of vehicles within metropolitan Barcelona.

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Meritxell Serret, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food A Spanish Politician from Catalonia, Meritxell Serret is the current Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food for Catalonia. Serret was born in Vallfogona of Balaguer, Catalonia, Spain. She has a degree in Political Sciences and Administration from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. One of her greatest skills is her ability to fluently speak four languages: Spanish, English, French, and Catalan. Before her time in office, she was an organizer for the Unio de Pagesos, or the Farmers Union, and a technical coordinator for the Funcion del Mon Rural (Rural World Foundation). Moreover, Serret is known to have a close relation with Puigdemont and is a very trusted voice in his decisions.

Santi Villa, Minister of Culture Santi Villa is a Catalan historian and politician from Granollers, Spain. He is a member of the Catalan European Democratic Party and was a counselor at from 199 before becoming mayor between 2007 and 2012. As Minister of Culture, it is in Villa’s discretion to organize the operation of many of the media conglomerates based in Barcelona. Newspapers, Radio Stations, and Television programs are all required to be overseen by the Minister of Culture. Moreover, Villa must balance the role of Catalan culture and Spanish culture, ensuring that those who only adhere to one or the other are kept confident in the government.

David Bonvehi, President of the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) David Bonvehi is a lawyer and Spanish politician representing citizens in the Parliament of Catalonia. Appointed president of the Partido Democrata Europeo Catalan (PDeCAT), it is of Bonvehi’s foremost goals to preserve his party’s mission and goals in all policy matters dictated by the Catalan Ministries. He serves as a liaison between Deputies, or Diputados, in his party for both the national and local branches of the organization. He graduated from the Autonomous University of Barcelona with a degree in law.

Marta Rovira, General Secretary of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) is a pro-Catalan independence politician from Catalonia and Spanish lawyer. She currently serves as the General Secretary of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, a pro-independence political party. Rovira holds a degree in Law from Pompeu Fabra University and in Political Sciences and Public Administration from the Open University of Catalonia. Before her entry into the political

12 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement arena, Rovira served as a Professor of Administrative Law at the Police Academy of Catalonia between 2003-2007 and the Director of Field Services Support at the Catalan Agency of Cooperation and Development between 2007 and 2011.

Ines Arrimadas, Leader of the Opposition Ines Arrimadas is a Spanish lawyer and politician serving as a member of El Congresso de Diputados and as the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Catalonia. As a member of Ciudadanos de Catalonia (Citizens Party in Catalonia), she serves as a connection of the cabinet to Madrid and the rest of Spain. Taking an interest in Catalonia during her childhood as she was a major fan of FC Barcelona, she is able to speak Catalan, French, and Spanish.

Leigh Toomey, Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Leigh Toomey, Chair of the UNWGAD, serves as a United Nations liaison and advocate for the Catalonian Government. She holds an LLM from Yale University where she studied human rights law as a Fulbright Scholar. She provides expert advice in the design, implementation, and evaluation of human rights and development projects, particularly monitoring of places of detention, improving access to justice, supporting national human rights institutions, and more. Her experience includes extensive field-based work in developing, conflict, and post-conflict settings for a myriad of UN Agencies. Originally from Australia, Toomey teaches at Queensland University of Technology and the Raoul Wallenberg Institution of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.

Spain

Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is a Spanish politician that serves as . He became leader of the People’s Party in 2004 and Prime Minister in 2011 following the People Party’s landslide victory in that year’s general election, becoming the sixth president of the Spanish Government. Before becoming prime minister, Rajoy served as Deputy Prime Minister between 200 and 2003, as well occupying various positions in the Aznar government including previously being spokesperson of the Government and Minister of the Presidency. Another notable point are his connections with RTVE, Spanish news and radio. He served as the People’s Party member of the Commission of Parliamentary Control of the RTVE.

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Soraya Sanez de Santamaria, Deputy Prime Minister of the Presidency and for Territorial Administrations Soraya Saenz de Santamaria is a Spanish politician of the People’s Party who serves as deputy Prime Minister of Spain. Before this, she served as a member of the Congresso de Diputados representing the district of Madrid for the People’s Party. Born in Valladolid in 1917, she grew up as the only child of her two parents. She studied law in University and received her degree from the University of Valladolid in 1994 with top honors. Before her time in federal government, she served as the secretary of the People’s Party executive board, charged with managing regional and local policy.

Alfonso Dastis, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Alfonso Dastis is a Spanish diplomat who serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain. Prior to becoming a Minister, he held several positions within the Spanish Diplomatic Corps. Datais studied law at the CEU San Pablo University in the 1970s, then attended the public Complutense University of Madrid. There, he wrote a doctoral thesis on the freedom of establishment of insurance companies but abandoned it in 1983. Before his work for Rajoy, he served as a member of Spain’s mission to the United Nations, the Minister’s Staff, and more. In 2002, he was named Secretary General for European Affairs.

Rafael Catala, Minister of Justice Rafael Catala is a Spanish politician and member of the People’s Party. He has been Minister of Justice as well as First Notary of the Kingdom of Spain under the Rajoy government. Additionally, he served as an interim Minister of Public Works in 2016. Before this, he served as the fourth Secretary of State for Justice between 2002 and 2004 and as the eighth Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport, and Housing from 2011 to 2014. He also served as a member of AENA, the air transportation management organization of Spain and Morocco, giving him strong relations to the airline industry in the region, as well as connections with Northern Africa.

Maria Dolores de Cospedal, Minister of Defense Maria Dolores de Cospedal is a Spanish politician and a member of the People’s Party. He served as President of Castile-La Mancha from 2011 to 2015 and currently serves as Minister of Defense. Previously, she had served as the People’s Party’s Secretary General. Born in Madrid, Cospedal received her law degree from CEU San Pablo University and joined the State Lawyers Corps in

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1991, serving in this body of top civil servants until 1996. Cospedal married famed aristocrat Jose Felix Valdivieso-Gonzalez y Bravo de la Laguna in 1995. While the marriage was nullified three years later by the Church, Cospedal has kept many of these connections.

Cristobal Montoro, Minister of Finance and Civil Service Montoro is a Spanish politician. He is a member of the People’s Party. He has served as Minister of Finance and Civil Service under Rajoy. His ministry was restructured in 2016 and the responsibility of public administration was given to the Vice President. Before his time as a minister, Montoro was a Member of the European Parliament for the People’s Party, part of the European People’s Party, and sat on the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. He represented Madrid in el Congreso de los Diputados since 1993.

Juan Ignacio Zoido, Minister of the Interior Juan Ignacio Zoido is a Spanish former judge and politician of the People’s Party. Before he joined the cabinet, Zoido had been serving as a Member of the European Parliament throughout his time before. There he has served on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. He has also served as Mayor of Seville from 2011 to 2015 and a Member of the Parliament of Andalusia from 2008 to 2014 and Chairman of the People’s Party of Andalusia from 2012 to 2014. Zoido also completed military service in Cerro Muriano and served as the bodyguard for several Spanish generals.

Inigo de la Serna, Minister of Development Serna is a Spanish politician and civil engineer. Before serving as the Minister of Development, Serna was the Mayor of Santender between 2007 and 2016. Although born in Bilbao, he has been a resident of Santander during all of his life. An only child, he attended the San Agustin College and then spent a year abroad learning in Ohio, USA. Eventually, he joined the University of Cantabria School of Civil Engineering, where he graduated as a civil engineer.

Inigo Mendez de Vigo, Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports Mendez de Vigo is a Spanish aristocrat and politician. He served as Minster of Education, Culture, and Sport. He has also served as the Spokesperson of the Government in the past. Other facts of note are that Vigo was born in the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco in the City of Tetuan, where his father served as a lieutenant of the infantry. He also has royal relations, being descended from the

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Marquesses of Cubas, the Dukes of Riansares, and the Queen mother of Spain Maria Christina of the Two Sicillies.

Fatima Banez, Minister of Employment and Social Security Fatima Banez is a Spanish politician, economist, and jurist. She serves as Minister of Employment and Social Security. Banez holds a degree in Law and in Economics from the Comillas Pontifical University (ICADE). She has also served as the councillor of Andalusia Radio and Television from 1997-2000. Before her entry into the federal government, Banez served as a member of the Spanish Parliament, representing the Huelva province.

Alvaro Nadal, Minister of Energy, Tourism, and Digital Agenda Nadal is a Spanish economist and politician. He has been a member of the Congress of Deputies since 2008. He also has a twin brother named Alberto Nadal Belda who was the Secretary of State of BUdgets and Expenditures since 2016. Born in Madrid in 1970, Nadal holds a degree in Law, Economics, and Business. He has also spent time studying at Harvard University. Before serving the Ministry, Nadal was the Director General of the Economic Office of the Prime Minister of Spain. He can fluently speak English, French, Spanish, and German.

Isabel Garcia Tejerina, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food, and Environment Tejerina is a Spanish politician who is a member of the People’s Party (PP). She has a master’s degree from University of California, Davis in Agricultural Economics, and a bachelor’s in law from the University of Valladolid. She has served as the General Secretary of Agriculture and Feeding of Spain twice.

Luis de Guindos, Minister of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness Guindos is a Spanish politician who serves as the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness. Born in Madrid in 1960, he has a Bachelor of Economics and business from the Colegio Universitario de Estudios Financieros. He has served as a Managing Partner of Advisors AB, secretary of the magazine “Business Information Spanish” and has served as a vocal advisor to the Secretary of State for Economy of Spain and Head of Technical Office of the General Secretariat Commerce.

16 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement

Dolors Montserrat, Minister of Health, Social Services, and Equality Dolors Montserrat is a Spanish lawyer and politician who has served in the European Parliament and currently serves as the Minister of Health, Social Services, and Equality. She has also served in the Congress of Deputies in the Cortes Generales multiple times by Barcelona and is the daughter of the businesswoman, and also politician of the People’s Party, Dolors Montserrat Culleré.

Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia VI, King of Spain Born in January of 1938, Feline VI, the King of Spain, had ascended to the throne in 2014 upon the abdication of his father . His mother is Queen Sofia of Spain, and he has an older brother, Prince Albert, and three elder sisters. In 2004, Felipe married TV news journalist Letizia Ortiz with whom he has two daughters. In accordance with the Spanish constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander in chief of the Spanish Armed Forces with the military rank of Captain General. He also plays the role of the Supreme Representation of Spain in International Relations.

Letizia Oritz Rocasloano, Queen of Spain Born in 1972, Letizia Ortiz rose to the status of Queen of Spain upon her marriage to Felipe VI in 2004. She comes from a middle-class family and worked as a journalist for ABC and EFE before becoming a news anchor at CNN+ and Television Espanola. In 2004, she married Felipe, then Prince of Asturias and heir to the Spanish throne. In 2015, Letizia was names Special Ambassador for Nutrition for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.

Carlos Lesmes, Magistrate of the Born in June of 1958, Carlos Lesmes is a Spanish magistrate and prosecutor serving as President of the Supreme Court of Spain and President of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). Before his time as Magistrate of the Supreme Court, Lesmes served as a prosecutor and was assigned to the Provincial Courts of Alicante and Madrid, and then to the Constitutional Court through 1993. He eventually became a magistrate in the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community.

17 Background Guide – Catalonian Secession Movement

Francisco Perez de los Cabos, President of the Constitutional Court of Spain Francisco Perez de los Cabos is a Spanish jurist and professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He became the President of the Constitutional Court of Spain in 2013. In this role, de los Cabos has worked alongside the European Court of Human Rights in Strasburg along with other human rights organizations. He also worked and advocated for the constitutionality of same sex marriage in Spain, reaffirming the Reform of Civil code that occurred between 2004-2005 to legalize same-sex marriage.

Pedro Sanchez, Leader of PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) Pedro Sanchez is a Spanish politician and secretary General of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE), Spain’s center-left political party. Sanchez began his political career in 2004 as a city councillor in Madrid, before being elected to the Congress of Deputies in 2009. In 2014, he was elected Secretary-General of PSOE, becoming Leader of the Opposition.

Pablo Iglesias, Leader of Unidos Podemos Pablo Iglesias is a Spanish politician, serving as Secretary-General of Unidos Podemos (Together We Can!), a far-left political party in Spain that has commonly caucused with PSOE to achieve their political goals. Before then, he was a lecturer in political science at the Complutense University in Madrid and has previously served as a TV host. Iglesias rose to political heights during the 15-M movement, advocating for wealth redistribution and the end of the 1% ultra-rich classes.

Albert Rivera, Leader of Ciudadanos Albert Rivera is a Spanish politician and is the leader of Ciudadanos (Citizens) political party since its founding in 2006. He has also served as a member of the Parliament of Catalonia from 2006 to 2015 and has served in the Congress of Deputies since then. Born in Barcelona, he won the Catalan Swimming Championship at age 16, bringing him notoriety in his community. He has taken courses at George Washington University in the United States in political marketing.

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Sources

Catalonia - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. (2010, July 20). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/regional-innovation- monitor/base-profile/catalonia. Catalonia profile - Timeline. (2018, May 14). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-20345073. Catalonia region profile. (2018, June 11). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-20345071. Dewan, A. (2017, October 02). Catalonia referendum: What just happened? Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/02/europe/catalonia-independence-referendum- explainer/index.html. Jones, S., Burgen, S., & Rankin, J. (2017, September 28). UN rights experts criticise Spanish efforts to block Catalan vote. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/28/un-rights-experts-criticise-spanish-efforts- to-block-catalan-vote. Minder, R., & Barry, E. (2017, October 01). Catalonia's Independence Vote Descends Into Chaos and Clashes. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/world/europe/catalonia-independence- referendum.html. Rodriguez, V. (2020, January 23). Catalonia. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Catalonia. Simkin, J. (2020, January). Carlists. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://spartacus- educational.com/SPcarlists.htm. The Spanish Succession. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/.

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