In Spain's autonomous region of Catalonia, elections have been announced for November 25. For regional president Artur Mas, this is an opportunity for Catalans to "choose their future as a nation" and "exercise their right to self-determination." After Barcelona's pro-independence mass demonstration of 11 September and Madrid's refusal to negotiate a more favorable tax regime for the region, the election is already being considered as a referendum on independence.
Speak, Catalonia – La Vanguardia
The conservative Madrid daily reports on King Juan Carlos' visit to Barcelona the day that Artur Mas, President of the Catalonia region, announced early elections which are widely seen as a plebiscite on independence. King Juan Carlos declared that "not to see the seriousness of this step is blindness."
Mas announces elections to feed his nationalist chimera – ABC
The call by a collective to "save" democracy by surrounding the Spanish parliament was answered by 3,000 to 6,000 demonstrators yesterday. Clashes took place with the 1,300 police protecting the building. 64 people were injured, including 27 police officers and 36 people arrests were made. The conservative daily lambasts the demonstration as "far from peaceful."
25 September: a coup against democracy – La Razón
French unemployment statistics for the month of August to be published today will show that France has crossed the symbolic 3 million threshold . This figure "confirms the powerlessness of politicians” who "in 45 years" have failed to halt spiralling unemployment, complains the conservative daily.
Shock of 3 million unemployed – Le Figaro
According to a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Justice, circumcision will continue to be considered as a violation of physical integrity, but will be permitted if the procedure is performed with parental consent and according to "the rules of the art of medicine" (i.e. with painkillers). On May 7, the court of Cologne sparked controversy by saying that circumcision constitues serious bodily harm.
Circumcision to remain unpunished – Süddeutsche Zeitung
Eurozone countries have started negotiations on a budget plan meant to correct economic imbalances in the union. The proposal, drafted by EU Council president Herman van Rompuy and supported by the German government, is a step towards the unification of national budgets, writes the Italian business daily.
Eurozone close to budget – Il Sole-24 Ore
With several national banks facing a liquidity crisis, the Slovenian government is seeking to avoid international assistance at all costs. Despite warnings from the European Central Bank, Ljubljana has transferred bad debt to a public agency, modelled on the Irish bad bank NAMA.
With bad bank, Slovenia defies ECB – Dnevnik
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