Declaration of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) and the PSUC (sister party in Catalonia) about the serious events that occurred in Catalonia on the 1st of October.

We believe that it is time for the political and social forces of the whole State to mobilize in the streets in defence of the democracy that the PP Government is crushing, for a negotiated settlement and against those who are provoking confrontation and social division.

We, the Communist Party of Spain and the PSUC, condemn the serious repression that the Government of Mariano Rajoy used against those who peacefully demonstrated outside polling stations, and we congratulate those people on their civic behaviour and capacity for self-restraint by not rising to the provocations and abuses of the state security forces.

We consider that public and legal responsibilities should be sought from those directly responsible for the police charges that yesterday caused hundreds of injuries and we will ask the international organisations and institutions in which we, the PCE, participates to condemn these actions and those responsible.

We believe that these actions disqualify Mariano Rajoy from continuing to act as President of the Government and we therefore demand his resignation and the constitution of a block of democratic social and political forces to propose a way out of the current stalemate in Catalonia.

We believe that this is not the moment for unilateral actions, neither applying Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution (suspending the autonomy of Catalonia), nor the declaration of independence.

We believe that it is time for the political and social forces of the whole State to mobilize in the streets in defence of the democracy that the PP Government is crushing, for a negotiated settlement and against those who are provoking confrontation and social division. We will therefore support any actions called for by the Mesa por la Democracia en Cataluña (organisation set up last week by 40 social organisations in Catalonia).

For the same reason we, the PCE and the PSUC, do not believe in the separation of territorial and social issues, so we reaffirm our support for a Federal Republican State, that shows solidarity (i.e. richer regions / nations subsidise poorer ones) and that contemplates the recognition of the right of Self-determination and the guarantee of social rights throughout the territory of the State.