A far-left Catalan separatist party on Sunday put off until Saturday a decision on whether to back the formation of a new government led by outgoing regional president Artur Mas that would work towards breaking away from Spain.
Separatists won a majority of seats in the 135-seat Catalan parliament for the first time in a September election in the wealthy northeastern region of Spain which is home to 7.5 million people.
Mas’ “Together for Yes” secessionist alliance, which won 62 seats, needs the backing of the smaller CUP grouping to remain at the helm in Catalonia.
However, the CUP, which opposes NATO and EU membership, has refused to back Mas to date because of his austerity policies of recent years and his party’s links to corruption scandals.
With a Jan. 9 deadline looming for Catalonia to elect a leader and form a new government, CUP members held a vote to decide a final position, which resulted in an extraordinary impasse.
Half of the CUP grassroots members at the assembly — 1,515 — voted in favor of allowing Mas, a conservative, to head the next government, while another 1,515 voted against.
Now it is up to the party’s leadership to make a final decision at a meeting on Saturday.
In order to be re-elected head of the regional government in a vote in parliament, Mas would need just two more CUP lawmakers to back him.
If the Catalan parliament does not elect a leader and form a new government by Jan. 9, it must call fresh elections. They would be the fourth in the region since 2010.
“The numbers are diabolical, but beyond that we are faced with a political challenge, a challenge to debate and find solutions,” CUP parliamentary leader Antonio Banos said.
To coax the CUP into backing Mas, “Together for Yes” on Tuesday last week promised a series of social reforms such as extra financing for homeowners facing eviction and school meals for poor children.
While separatists have not agreed on the formation of a new government, last month they approved a resolution that calls for the creation of an independent Catalan republic within 18 months, laying down a major challenge to the central government in Madrid.
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