Spain

The fight for independence in Catalonia: What lessons for Quebec?
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Catalan referendum: a ‘democratic tsunami’ rises against Spanish state siege
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Catalonia referendum: resisting the Spanish government siege
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The Catalan national struggle and the left in the Spanish state—a dossier

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Catalonia terror attacks: 500,000 march for tolerance as Spanish establishment blames independence movement
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By Dick Nichols September 4, 2017 — Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal — After the August 17-18 terror attacks on Barcelona’s Rambla and in the seaside town of Cambrils, the half-million-strong march in the Catalan capital on August 26 expressed the profound desire in Catalan society to stay tolerant, open and un-militarised in the face of the terrorist threat. But it expressed more than that.
The struggle for Catalan independence: an interview with People’s Unity List (CUP) joint national spokesperson Quim Arrufat
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August 7, 2017 — Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal — Born in the rural Seu d’Urgell in 1982, People’s Unity List (CUP) joint national spokesperson Quim Arrufat became a well-known and respected figure in Catalan politics during his time as one of the CUP’s first three MPs in the Catalan parliament (2012-2015). In an October 2012 interview with the Catalan web site Vilaweb, he described his organisation, which is committed to Catalan independence and socialism, as “urban Zapatistas”.
Spain: Debate erupts in Podemos around agreement to join PSOE government
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By Dick Nichols

August 6, 2017 — Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal — On September 26 last year, José García Molina, the secretary-general of Podemos in the central Spanish autonomous community (state) of Castilla-La Mancha, announced that his party’s agreement keeping the regional Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) government in office had «died of disappointment and shame». According to García Molina, the agreement had expired «waiting for one of its signatories to breathe life and inspiration into it, waiting for justice to be done to what had been presented and signed, but most of all it died from shame at realising some people’s lack of commitment to their promises and undertakings.» This was despite the Castilla-La Mancha government’s claim that of the 72 points agreed with Podemos as a basis for its support, 49 had been completed and 19 were in the process of being implemented.
Basque leader Arnaldo Otegi: 'Independence will provide us with the tools for advancing alternative social policies'
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Showdown in Catalonia: Can the independence referendum actually happen?
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Spain: Socialist Party leader’s shock rebirth unnerves establishment
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By Dick Nichols May 31, 2017 — Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal — The plan had seemed so well organised. Its first stage was successfully executed on October 1 last year when the ruling elite in the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) got the party’s 250-strong Federal Political Committee (FPC) to force the resignation of general secretary Pedro Sánchez (see account here). Sánchez’s crime had been his refusal, after the inconclusive June 26 general election last year, to allow the formation of a minority People’s Party (PP) government through PSOE abstention. He had also proposed to have this refusal put to the PSOE membership for endorsement and to have a new primary for the position of general secretary.
New Catalan political space: one hurdle cleared on the road to left unity
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Catalonia: What Un País en Comú stands for
 
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By Dick NicholsMay 7, 2017 –– Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal –– This appendix to the article “New Catalan political space: one hurdle cleared on the road to left unity” tries to summarise the essential content of the first draft of Un País en Comú.