How nice it is to see David Fernàndez on TV and in the newspapers speaking for all those supporters of CUP – the party that entered parliament for the first time with 3 deputies. He wears ordinary clothes and looks like a human being. Someone you might bump into in a bar and have a chat with.
Author: Kate Wilson
25N+2
Two days on and the streets still look much the same as before the election. But of course we are now in a new phase. There was no absolute majority, Artur Mas will have to make a pact with another party in order to push things through Parliament. He seems to have two main options – ERC on the left who would not agree to continuing the policy of cuts in social services or PSC who actually lost a lot of support in this election.
I’ve been reading as much as possible both in foreign and local newpapers. It is interesting to see how much is written about it in English. Some British papers are following the line of Madrid and seeing only how Mas lost face and therefore seems disempowered. But others have seen the more complex realities – how people voted both For independence and Against the cuts. That seemed to be what many people were balancing up in their decisions of who to vote for. The call for a referendum is just as strong but there were also other issues to reflect on and even though Mas was applauded for his stance, it was necessary to let him know his parties financial policies were hated.
Today in Granollers there was a demonstration against the eviction of a family who, having lost their jobs, couldn’t pay the mortgage. Even though the government of the PP in Madrid had promised an end to evictions of vulnerable people, still the bank was going ahead as planned.
Everything feels in a state of flux and change.
Election Day Granollers
I took a walk this morning around some of the voting stations – schools and civic centres which are used for elections. It was a quiet morning, sunny and warm but autumnal. People were steadily drifting in and out of the stations, arriving on crutches and in wheel-chairs, accompanied by dogs and children. As is normal for Granollers people were dressed conservatively, in mainly blacks and blues
There are no banners proclaiming POLLING STATION. No political workers handing out leaflets outside the gates. Noone asking ‘who did you vote for’.
No cars driving around covered in banners and shouting through a megaphone ‘Have you voted?’
It was all quiet and discreet. There was a policeman outside one of the colleges but I didn’t see any others except a police car in the Porxada.
It’s rude to ask people what they voted, isn’t it? My mother refused to tell me for many years who she voted for – though later when she began to support the Scottish Nationalists she was happy to talk about it. But I have asked several people today who they voted for as it is interesting in this election. Many were floating voters, wanting to really think about it before deciding
Older people often opt for Artur Mas. The one 18 year old I asked went for the Iniciativa-Greens in this his first election. And many other friends were strongly pulled towards the CUP.
Who are they?
It is a fairly new party; left-wing, pro-independence, ecological, and committed to a more thoughtful democratic process. They are already represented at the municipal level – four towns have CUP mayors. But this is the first time they have stood for parliament. They have promised that, if elected, their candidates would only serve one term, earn no more than 1600€ a month, and would base their decisions on the opinions expressed by local assemblies. They also promised not to request any loans from banks, so as to avoid being influenced by financial groups and economic élites.
So, that is my research for today. I am looking forward to sitting up tonight and watching the results. It is something I used to do with my mother when I was young and I remember election nights in 1966 and 1970 with us both sitting up into the early hours, unable to stop watching.
Matagalls to Granollers – a little walk!
As well as being election day, today is the 23rd Big Walk from Matagalls to Granollers.
A distance of 40km, mostly downhill! People have just started to arrive at the sports shop opposite our home where there is a stall to get their card stamped and to have a drink and a pressie
Perhaps next year? But I think it might be too far for Bonnie’s paws.
It’s one of the advantages of living in the centre – there’s always something happening right outside. A few minutes ago I heard horse’s hooves clopping along the street. No idea what they are doing here
RACC and ruin
The weekend came to a sudden end as the van starter motor problem reappeared this morning. I was on my way to pick up Pep at the railway station, running late after a very disturbed night with Bonnie having stomach problems! Thank goodness I hadn’t had to make a dash to the vet in the middle of the night. I had written down, just in case, the number of a 24hour service in Figueres. She was stretching and bowing all night and needing to pop outside on a regular basis but I resisted panicking.
Lack of sleep meant I was already late when I turned the ignition switch and – nothing. That is what happens when the starter motor is stuck. No coughing or spluttering or weak attempts to get going. Just nothing. It happened about a month ago and the mechanic hit it with a hammer, got it going and said it either would happen again, or it wouldn’t!
Helen and Francis were helpful as ever and I got a lift to Figueres and back. Then, instead of going to Port Lligat to visit Dalis house, and instead of having lunch by the sea, we spent the morning trying to sort it out. As usual, my foreigner status made this more complicated than is necessary
- Car insurance here includes rescue and recovery. My insurance is British and doesn’t
- Garages are closed on Saturdays. We didn’t know any local friendly mechanics.
- RACC is the Catalan equivalent of the AA and although they work on weekends, their membership office doesn’t so I couldn’t join up.
- The local rescue and recovery wasn’t keen on coming out as he usually gets paid through insurance and what if he couldn’t get the van started – would we pay up?
But he did come and he did start it. Turned out he was the local RACC man anyway!
The only problem was that then we couldn’t turn the engine off as the starter motor was still stuck.
So we all drove home although Bonnie and I had planned to stay till Monday. At least we are close to a local mechanic who hopefully can sort it out on Monday. And I hope I can join the RACC even though my van and insurance and documents are British.
Bonnie by the way seems better. If she wants to go out in the night here, it means putting on my clothes so I am very glad to see her sleeping peacefully now.