CATALONIA, which has been in political limbo since last year, finally has a new president – Quim Torra – after Spanish courts blocked bids for the office by three previous candidates, Carles Puigdemont, Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Turull.

Torra, a newcomer to politics but a committed supporter of Catalan independence, was sworn in yesterday after a second round of voting resulted in a simple majority for his candidacy, after he failed to win an outright majority on Saturday.

The MP, who is part of Puigdemont’s Together for Catalonia (JxCat) coalition, is a lawyer, writer and editor. He previously worked for a Swiss insurance company and used a severance package in 2008 to set up a company that published works of Catalan literature, including texts by Catalan journalists from the era of the Spanish civil war and Franco’s dictatorship.

He entered politics by joining the pro-independence pressure group Òmnium Cultural, whose leader ‎Jordi Cuixart, one of the two Jordis who has been in prison without trial since October for their role in the independence referendum.

Puigdemont named Torra as a candidate in a final attempt to install a president before May 22, when a new election would be called automatically.

SO, WHO IS QUIM TORRA?
A FATHER-of-three, President Torra, who is 55, has been a major figure for the past decade and has frequently called for the wealthy, north-eastern state to split from Spain.

He hails from the Catalan town of Blanes on the Costa Brava and has made a name for himself within pro-independence circles, including membership of various organisations, including those that helped organise the massive public demonstrations that preceded last year’s indyref and the subsequent political deadlock.

Torra also ran a cultural centre in the El Born district of Barcelona, which became renowned for its support for independence.

He gave a rousing speech to the Catalan Parliament in March, calling on independence supporters to keep up their campaign against Spain’s central government in Madrid, saying: “The cause of freedom for Catalonia is a just cause, the cause of independence for Catalonia is a just cause, the cause of the Catalan Republic is an honourable cause.

“Do not think for a moment we will give up, not even a millimetre, to defend the justice, legitimacy and honourability of this cause.”

MORE TROUBLE AHEAD THEN?
PERHAPS. Torra has already rattled unionists in Catalonia, while his words are music to the ears of indy supporters, Leader of the liberal, anti-independence party Ciudadanos, Ines Arrimadas, tweeted last after Puigdemont nominated Torra that Catalonia needed a president who recognised that the separatist movement had failed.

The unionist Socialist Party of Catalonia said: “We regret that the independence bloc has chosen a person with one of the most sectarian profiles.”

However, during the parliamentary debate that preceded his swearing-in, Torra called for a “republic for everyone”.

“For the Spanish people and the Catalan people, freedom means republic.”

He had already come under fire for a series of social media messages and articles in which he criticised Spaniards but added: “I regret that some tweets taken out of context addressed to the Spanish government offended some people. I truly regret it.”

Torra also called for a period of self-reflection on both sides of Catalonia’s political divide: “Pro-independence politicians should have no problem in recognising that we have not done some things right.

“But also, those in favour of Catalonia being an autonomous community [within Spain] should do so - prison, exile, the persecution of citizens for their ideas, the criminalisation of civil and political rights is not acceptable.”

WHAT ARE HIS PRIORITIES?
HE will have his work cut out undoing what has been done in the months since Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government used unprecedent powers under Article 155 of the Spanish constitution to take control of Catalonia and dismiss the regional government as well as civil servants and others.

Torra said one priority would be to reinstate 16 suspended laws, such as those aimed at fighting climate change, energy poverty and others ensuring gender equality.

He said: “Some of these laws were approved by unanimity, even with the support of [the Catalan branch of Spain’s ruling] People’s Party, which was not enough to prevent the Spanish government from running over them like a bulldozer and suspending them.”

Tora has said he will also launch a committee to investigate the “consequences of direct rule”, which would be part of an emergency plan to “both analyse what happened these past months and towards restoration [of self-government]”.

“We're not only speaking about a political crisis, but a humanitarian one, too. We have people in prison and in exile, this isn't happening in any European country around us,” he said.

“I will request a meeting not only with Mariano Rajoy, whenever he wants, but also with Mr [Jean-Claude] Juncker (European Commission president).

“We are willing to negotiate tomorrow, unconditionally. We ask Spain to sit on the same table with us to solve the political problems that we are facing. From government to government.”

Spain has confirmed in a statement last week that direct rule would be lifted as soon as a new executive is formed in Catalonia and would be willing to enter into dialogue if the new president respected the constitution and laws.