Catalan Independence Leader’s Arrest in Germany Strengthens Rajoy's Hand

Carles Puigdemont, the former president of Catalonia, was arrested in Germany on a Spanish international arrest warrant. The action will serve to harden positions on both sides of the independence fight in Spain, says Oberlin Prof. Sebastian Faber

[Martial-Mat]

Rebellion? Political dissent you mean? Authoritarianism is on the rise across the globe, and surprise surprise to see Germany involved. Guess you can virtue signal all you like on immigration, but you just can't take the fascist out of their nature, whether it's controlling European finance, trade or now, interfering in the politics of other nations.
Very torn on the Catalonia issue. I respect people's rights to self-determination - I voted for Brexit for exactly that reason - but where does it end? If Catalonia got independence, can South Catalonia break away from the rest, then an individual district, until the nation is nothing but ungoverned streets or towns? I have no answers, but it seems to me that communities need a certain population mass to be self governing.

[RaysDad]

Without Catalonia we will see large declines in the Spanish economy. That is the major factor behind the aggression by Madrid. Also, Spain would become a more right-wing country -- even more authoritarian and oppressive. And FC Barcelona will probably join the French League.

[OMGAnotherday]

I’m pretty surprised that he was moving freely across Europe, when his fellow Catalonians were suffering at the hands of the state! Why didn’t he stay underground, he could have achieved just as much, in fact probably more.
Why did he have to travel? It doesn’t send the right signal to others that have paid a higher price.
I still believe he is a brave man, but I just think he could have done this better.
But as another person commentated, a dark day for the Germans, a dark day for democracy.

[josecatala]

Puigemont is challenging Europe democracy. Long life to Puigdemont. Europe mshould understand the Catalans and in doing so Europe will understand plurality and democracy

[LA-kcev]

It was predictable. Rajoy's party is right wing and indicted repeatedly for corruption. The CUP is an anarchist party of the revolutionary left. I always wondered how they would form a government, even if one gets past the tactics that have been used.