On the one hand: Pedro Sánchez has managed to obtain a new extension to the state of alarm for the coronavirus crisis, in a Spanish parliamentary vote that was uncertain until hours beforehand. On the other: Inés Arrimadas and Ciudadanos have entered as far as the engine room, and the government defined as "the most left-wing in the history of Spain" has preferred to turn to a teetering political force from the extreme right rather than opening itself to manage the territorial de-escalation with Spain's autonomous communities. To sum up: the single command marches onwards and the prime minister is more than comfortable defending centralization and for that reason he allows himself to use expressions like this one: "the Catalan government cannot close Barcelona". Which is true, certainly. But what it covers up is that if there had not been a state of alarm, then with the general legislation in force, the Catalan government could have done so, as it did with the Conca d'Òdena. About that, however, there is silence, just in case the facts spoil a good headline.
This Wednesday's vote in Congress is perhaps the first time, at least the first significant time, in which the three Catalan pro-independence parties have voted the same way. It is by no means unity of action, but the three forces, ERC, JxCat and CUP, have reached the same conclusion in very different ways. Sánchez should analyze why this has happened if he wants to reverse this situation. It is not normal for him to behave as if he had an absolute majority which he lacks because in politics everyone has their needs. No-one will always and everytime gives their votes for free in exchange for nothing or for promises that get blown away with the wind. Governance and stability are concepts that must be filled with realities, with tangible elements. It's Politics 101.
The masters of this style of play, the Basque Nationalists (PNV), opted for an unprecedented sí in the vote despite everything that Iñigo Urkullu had said and in return obtained a commitment from Sánchez's PSOE to allow them to hold the regional elections in July. The PNV, which sees a very grave economic crisis coming, does not want the elections delayed until September with the enormous anger that might exist after a summer with no tourism and little joy. Although this manoeuvre by the Basque party should not be surprising since their modus operandi has always been based on "you give to me, I give to you", it is a pity that the PNV has prioritized its own interests exclusively, over even the dignity of the mistreated Basque autonomy.
There are many, blinded, and not for the first time, who think that at moments like the present it is necessary to be much more practical and less coherent. Perhaps elections are still being won that way in the Basque Country, but I do not think that, after all that has happened, the model will be exportable.