Catalonia has leaked the news that the nationalists are already drawing up a new Constitution in the event that the region breaks away from Spain.
The main nationalist parties agreed some months ago to ask 10 of the regions most respected scholars, jurists and intellectuals to drawup a draft Constitution – and they have already agreed on the first 60 articles.
Santiago Vidal, senior Judge at the Barcelona Provincial Courts, admitted to El Mundo that he was working on the project after a draft copy was leaked to the paper. Santiago claims the new Constitution is based on those of the Nordic Countries, and plans for a corruption free, independent, modern and democratic Republic based on the rule of law.
Politicians would see their powers drastically reduced under this new, slightly utopian Constitution.
There would be a German model of Government, under which a figurehead President appoints a Prime Minister, both of whom are limited to two terms of office. “Complacency usually sets in during the third term” noted Santiago drily.
An independent Tax Authority would be setup, with independent bodies overseeing the auditing of public accounts, with responsibility for overseeing the gathering and spending of taxes. An independent body would be setup to oversee the financing and regulation of political parties, and to investigate allegations of public corruption.
Citizens would have access to the Courts to demand access to health, schoolcare and housing, which would guarantee that these resources are setup in response to true citizen demand, and not political whim.
The main parties charged the intellectuals with the task of drawing up a Constitution that was simple, based for the 21st century, democratic and easy to understand. Santiago says that the Spanish Constitution is currently unworkable, simply because it’s too specific in the details and can’t respond to changes in society. “We need a master plan, as the Nordic countries have, not something set in stone” he explains. “We want a US model of reasonable evolution, so the Constitution can evolve along with the nation”.
In fact, three leading Islandic jurists attended a recent -and secret- conference to advise the Catalans on how their Constitution is applied socially.
Santiago refused to say where or how the Constitution is being drawn up, but says that the leaders of the main parties are all in broad agreement with the document.
It’s being drawn up in such a way that even if Catalonia doesn’t break away from Spain, it can still be applied as a cornerstone for a new relationship with Spain. Santiago moots the possibility of Catalonia turning into a federal region of Spain, in the German model, and points to Bavaria, one of the richest states in German, which has setup a “solidarity fund” – excess money from taxes goes to help out the poorer states within the nation.
But Santiago discards the possibility of a Commonwealth setup, with Juan Carlos being head of state in the style of Elizabeth II. “It wouldn’t work” he said flatly “and there’s no point”.
Republic, independent, corruption free and progressive. Utopia? We may find out in November…..