Twelve Catalan separatist leaders could see up to 25 years in prison if convicted of rebellion and other offences related to a failed attempt to declare an independent state in 2017. Hundreds of thousands protested in Barcelona on Saturday against the court case, which has been criticised for being a political show.
 
The trial by the Spanish supreme court is expected to last for three months and more than 500 witnesses, including former prime minister Mariano Rajoy, have been called to provide testimony.

In 2017, Madrid tried to stop Catalonia from holding its independence referendum, first by declaring the vote unconstitutional and then by using national police to crack down on voters. Ninety percent of voters supported secession and Catalonia's parliament subsequently made a declaration of independence, further aggravating the country's worst political crisis since Spain's transition to democracy in the 1970s.

Madrid maintains that any legal vote for secession would require parliament to change the country's constitution. Adding to political instability, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dissolved parliament last week and called for snap elections on April 28. The Catalonia issue is expected to help elect more far-right and anti-secession politicians into office.

In this episode, we'll hear more about the trial and how Catalonia's independence movement is impacting Spain.

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Enric Martinez @EnricMz
Member, Catalanes Por la Ley 
emartinezherrera.wordpress.com

Sonia Andolz @SoniaAndolz
Professor of Conflict Analysis & International Politics, University of Barcelona
linkedin.com

Adria Alsina @AdriaAlsina
Professor of International Journalism & Global Communication, Universitat de Vic
adria.barcelona

Read more:
Thousands protest in Barcelona against trial of Catalan separatist leaders - El Pais
Spain’s snap election could harden Catalan divide - Reuters
 

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