Now playing Next Europe News Puigdemont vows to keep fighting after MEPs vote to lift his immunity A European Parliament committee has voted to lift Carles Puigdemont's immunity. It will now go to a vote before all MEPs next month. 24/02/2021
Now playing Next Spain Catalonia elections: Has the result made independence more likely? Sunday's elections in Spain's Catalonia region gave separatists a boost in the regional parliament. 15/02/2021
Now playing Next Spain Spanish police arrest 21 people in raids on Catalan separatists Spanish officials say that police have detained 21 people with links to the Catalan separatist movement on suspicion of corruption and promoting public disorder. 28/10/2020
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. The troubled lives of Catalan presidents are an echo of Catalonia’s troubles within Spain ǀ View The meeting of three Catalan presidents stripped of their offices or the right to hold office has become symbolic of how Catalan democracy is being treated by Madrid. 19/10/2020
Now playing Next Spain Quim Torra: Court removes Catalan chief from office for 'disobedience' The case against Quim Torra concerns his alleged refusal to take down yellow ribbons and other signs of support for jailed separatists on public buildings ahead of the 2019 general election. 28/09/2020
Now playing Next no comment Effigy of Spanish king burned as tensions rise on Catalan National Day Supporters of Catalonia's secession from the rest of Spain gathered in small groups around the north east region on Friday under orders from event organisers to maintain social distancing amid a spike in coronavirus cases. 12/09/2020
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. Bernat Solé i Barril: Reshaping the post-coronavirus world from a European point of view ǀ View As a committed and reliable partner of the European project, the Government of Catalonia has always been present and active in the European debates, and now, as we begin to look at the new future ahead of us, we want to share our experiences in order to contribute to building commons solutions. 23/04/2020
Now playing Next France Critics slam Puigdemont rally near Catalonia amid COVID-19 outbreak This is the closest Carles Puigdemont has come to return to Spain since fleeing more than two years ago. 29/02/2020
Now playing Next United Kingdom Euroviews. An independent Scotland isn’t ready for EU membership. It needs a constitution first ǀ View I am still unconvinced that the SNP really wants to lead a new independent Scotland into the EU. The SNP only brings up EU membership as a persuasive argument to achieve independence more easily. 29/01/2020
Now playing Next Spain Former Catalonia police chief on trial for role in secession bid The trial takes place as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attempts to resolve the regional conflict with political talks, instead of legal proceedings. 20/01/2020
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. Oriol Junqueras’ trial shows the healthy functioning of Spanish law and democracy ǀ View Legitimate debate is completely different from destructive propaganda, the gratuitous bashing of the Spanish judiciary or the propagation of conspiracy theories. Let’s discuss everything, including legal or constitutional changes. But in the meantime, we democrats must abide by the law as it is. 14/01/2020
Now playing Next Spain Catalan separatist leaders take up MEP seats in blow to Madrid Catalan separatist leaders Carles Puigdemont and Antoni Comin vowed to push their secessionist cause onto Europe’s agenda as they took up their seats in Strasbourg, despite facing an arrest warrant in Spain. 14/01/2020
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. Oriol Junqueras is Europe and it has spoken with a loud voice: Spain must respect democracy ǀ View More than two years ago, Oriol Junqueras was the legal, legitimate and elected vice president of Catalonia, contributing decisively to calling a referendum of self-determination. Now, he could also be remembered as a key shaper of Europe. 09/01/2020
Now playing Next Belgium EU parliament accredits Catalan separatists EU parliament accredits Catalan separatists 07/01/2020
Now playing Next world news Catalan leaders recognised by European Parliament as MEPs The European Parliament has recognised the Catalan independentist leader, Oriol Junqueras, as an MEP. It comes despite the fact that he has been sentenced to thirteen years in prison and that the debate on his disqualification is still pending a resolution in Spain. 06/01/2020
Now playing Next Spain What does European court ruling mean for Catalan figureheads? What does the ECJ ruling mean for Puigdemont and how does EU law work in the Catalonian indpendence struggle. An explainer. 24/12/2019
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. Catalonia is the EU’s canary in a coalmine when it comes to its citizens’ democratic rights ǀ View “They will not dare, right?” If I had a cent for every time a European politician, advisor or journalist asked me that regarding what is Spain ready to do to keep Catalonia inside its ranks, I would be rich by now. 06/12/2019
Now playing Next Spain Euroviews. It’s time for Sánchez to sit and talk with Catalan leaders about our future ǀ View The new government will have to take politics out of the courts and go back to the negotiating table where the Catalan government has been waiting for too long. The response of an EU member state to a political problem cannot simply be judicial repression and police violence. 19/11/2019
Now playing Next Spain Catalan leader admits disobeying electoral rules in court hearing A conviction for Torra would likely lead to widespread protests and fresh elections. 18/11/2019
Now playing Next Spain ECJ advice suggests jailed Catalan leader could have sought immunity The advice from Advocate General Maciej Szpunar is a boost for the Catalan separatist movement and Oriol Junqueras, who was voted into the European Parliament in May despite being detained in Spain since 2017 after an illegal independence referendum. 12/11/2019