the new york city region has already seen its highest snowfall totals in years but the storm that's sweeping through the rest of the country is now barreling north and about to hit here leaving tens of millions of other americans in the northeast of the country bracing for the next one that also could include sleet and hail gabriels andro. we hawk in new jersey. half past the hour here on al-jazeera and these are the top stories a judge in the netherlands has ruled authours he's illegally used emergency powers to impose a nighttime curfew this was to try to control covert 19 the dutch prime minister has called the decision disappointing and he is urging citizens to continue respecting the restrictions john hull following the story for us it's clearly

a blow to the government's. policy. to make that clear the promise in the war will be that it takes the opens the door to similar actions elsewhere it introduced in the 23rd of january. first not. going to be there for 2 weeks the government making the case to the people then that it was absolutely necessary that the emergence of this new wave of coronavirus of mutations and variance and it was then extended to much of. the other headlines 1000000 miles military has denied carrying out a coup has pledged again to hold elections next year a spokesman for the armed forces says they had quote no choice but to seize power and while protests against the military takeover are now into an 11th day. the u.s. has called on yemen's hooty fighters to halt their advance on the city of mari the government's last northern stronghold earlier the united nations warned the mareeba fence of could endanger millions of civilians and lead to quote unimaginable

humanitarian consequences to former leaders of a rebel group in central african republic have denied committing war crimes 7 years ago when the country descended into civil war the trial for alfred. began at the international criminal court on tuesday they are accused of targeting muslims in a campaign of torture murder and rape and iraq's president condemned a series of rocket attacks in the northern city of erbil calling it a dangerous escalation 3 blasts were heard and smoke was seen near the airport where u.s. forces are stationed an iranian backed shia group claims to have targeted that military base one foreign contractor was killed and several others were wounded including a u.s. service member we're back with you a news hour in the live under 25 minutes a little over 25 an inside story is next.

could catalonia again try to secede from spain regional elections have given separatists an increased majority but parties that favor spain also made a strong showing so could this lead to more political chaos this is inside story. hello and welcome to the program. it's been a turbulent 3 years since catalonia tried to secede from spain the government in madrid had an authorized the referendum organized by regional leaders in barcelona

and afterwards charged them with sedition many fled into exile but the issue hasn't gone away and was a major focus of sunday's regional election 3 separatist parties won enough votes to increase their majority in parliament but the cut a lot of branch of spain's ruling socialists also won more seats and the far right is set to enter the regional legislature for the 1st time into monohan reports. separatist parties in catalonia are hailing the vote as a major victory with the strength and majority of the region's parliament many of the movement's leaders say the case for secession from spain has never been stronger i would like to send a message to european authorities and the results are clear we deplaned up and then spot these have a majority we have reached more than 50 percent of the popular vote the catalan people haven't spoken the time has come to negotiate a referendum of self-determination police get involved in the separatist cause made

international headlines in 2017 when a referendum was held on breaking away from spain it wasn't sanctioned or recognized by madrid and wasn't legal under spanish law. the central government group against the referendums organizers many of whom fled into exile where they remained since then political power has shifted to madrid but the current socialist prime minister is just as opposed to cattle and independents as conservative predecessor in the latest election result in catalonia has put the fate of the region back on the agenda not your. i'm happy independence has the majority we are all together and i hope we'll come to make an agreement to make a path together this is about us but i wouldn't because it makes me happy that the total votes in favor of pro independence options has surpassed 50 percent there are not only catalan pro independence people but more people in favor of a referendum these things i believe health person violence in terms of democracy

and conflict solving. while the games by separatist parties are undisputed this was an unusual election the pandemic may have contributed to an extremely low turnout only 53 percent of catalans cast their vote compared to 79 percent in 2017 and the election also saw big gains by the socialists and the far right box party both are opposed to session. it's moment for inside story. i all right let's bring in our guests in barcelona model a get out baucus professor of constitutional law at barcelona university in brussels peter clipper an e.u. policy analyst and in madrid christina manzano editor in chief of escobar and columnist at a pace welcome to the program are let me start with you today overall what do the results of this election tell us well overall i think that these results

especially if we have here from here from catalonia what they tell us is that the blocks need a more which means that we still have 2 blocs bolter see them go from one book to another so that means that we still have the question on the table so that means that also that would really need to talk about which would be the best solution for the cup and a question because many people polled the poor independents or little the turnout with not very high but it will look at the results we can see we can read from the results that we still need to talk we still have a question on the table and then on the other hand we have the issue of the stream grad party who has entered the catalan parliament and this is a big concern to christina margins brought up something i wanted to ask you about which is the fact that the far right vox party is going to be entering catalonia as

regional parliament for the 1st time having won 11 seats vioxx is pro-union with spain how is that going to play from your perspective into the secessionist narrative in catalonia and how popular has vox become in spain. it is hard to and saying in kabul terms i think the very well because they know they could garner all the votes. i need for just that the union up with this pay asked sat you know very simplistic terms if you have me and which means also and to catalan sentiments. i don't think their political proposals will move much found there i think they will make another lot of noise tests will they do very well they know how to grapple the attention off of on the public opinion but i don't i don't see them being very strong political actor in the in the parliament because i'm not a post of czar and just it is an anti political force and i assume it will be in

catalonia as it is sometimes also in me it is very worrying in any case that in spain we tracked and had a right to weigh in to extremist party until recently it is very worrying that they have moved in so quickly and they at they have done so but size me based on these cattle and anticipate his sentiment on to abstain peter the fact that pro independence parties have won more than 50 percent of the vote for the 1st time how significant is that. well i think it's it's very important and i think it's mainly a confirmation of the fact that there's strong sentiment in the tunnel in society to to to gain a lot more self control or even independence i think that's an important political fact and we should really abandon all pretense that this would not be

existant or that this would actually only be a fringe movement i mean it is very very present in qatar and yeah but secondly i think we also or any solution would need to appreciate that no matter how you look at it a sizeable minority at least of people living in constant linea are against independence so. i always say to reconcile that the obvious solution is switzerland which is a very successful decentralized country and i think the spanish government's maybe they should not in dismiss governments to actually mediate which this government has proposed a few years ago but this industry take. very serious and abandon the strategy all of all basically looking away and hoping the problem will go away

because the problem will not go away now in practice what could be done i would say one step in the right direction. be to grant the same taxation power settle so busk country out and why not all the regions in spain so i think this would be to say a wise compromise and at least for supporters of independence day should see that as a big step forwards more i saw you reacting to some of what peter was saying there did you want to add to the point he was making. yes i think it's a still on the table and i actually agree with both with what christina montana safe and also said peter and jerry i totally agree like it will be on the table especially with the fact that we have our work cut all either even though you wrote it for them or not that they are in jail they are all tied to spain for the course on their 4212 for for other they are in

a giant so at the end of the day poor of or less presidents were all steps from power and if you say ok they were resolved on everything but at the end of the day there was never violence hearing in catalonia and we still have or cut the leaders in jails so it has power from the tax issue which many people is offending we also have the emotional situation that many people see things that we are we are not treated as we sure do or we need more also to me or more independent and most the the polls show also that many people is for preferring them so we can check home any of last one to stay with us paying and home anyone to leave and why not why not another proposal as peter was saying maybe a solution like switzerland has or independence or a for the ration so there are many solutions but for this we need to talk we need

to have a proposal from the findings of the catalan government and of course if we don't talk if we don't ask people what they want in one though this is not within the constitution which is true it's not true within the constitution but if you want a solution you have to find a way to talk and and to to find the solution because if not boiler stay on the table for ever christine i saw you nodding to some of what maher was saying there so i want to get your reaction to what she was saying and i also want to ask you you know what is what is the response to the results of these elections from the rest of the country. from sorry from when the rest of the precipice yes ok yes let me go back to to some peterson a common sense because it is true that in terms of of seats in the parliament. independent throwing dependency parties have one more land in majority a little bit more than in my $280.00 but in terms of vote # id ended

a small turnout around 53 percent means that only 25 percent of the people that are in the census in catalonia the people that are able to vote how far are going to so these one of the lessons of these results i think is that it cannot be taken as a plebiscite every election in catalonia for the last years have intended to be up leaves many side on the independence issue and i think we go with a 25 percent of the population which can vote and going for that and therefore that solution i don't think it's enough to take such decision forgotten and for the rest of the of the country it is true that many solutions are on the table and it is also true that we have a plane with emotional issues here and if you see that from our ational point of view there are not so many arguments and that good push for out for an independent

was stationed because maybe if they dassent it doesn't play well in for instance in terms of the economy if another thing is taxes and i'll go to 2 there now. and let's not forget that the situation in the last years have taken more than 4000 companies businesses to go out of cotton because of the of the uncertainty so i think it's all something to take into account i think the fed of solution and going back to what ben and i were saying. could be the 2 have that all the regions in spain all that gone and i'm so done with that we can now have a set piece of this and right. and in that sense i wouldn't like the cut and catalunya going to. asimilar and solution as in a basque country but because that is an annulment even a also that is a difference too to watch the rest of this is me how these missiles have been taken in the rest of the spain you know these. with

a bit of. how could i say to people be tired in. the sense that results have not been so different because they don't really solve anything pioli endeavor a 1st moment we are bound to have very intense negotiations from now on # i think it's ok it's over and now let's focus and abandon it which is our 1st and major issue right now peter from your vantage point is it likely that separatist parties will now ask madrid for a referendum. it's looking lightly and dates and then the question is how troops will react that i suspect like and vast majority will say well we cannot actually grant a referendum because the spanish constitution forbids it but apparently at least according to this own legal scholars an advisory referendum could be granted question is will that be enough for the independence movement now

frankly i think even if a majority votes for independence in a number on the referendum you still need to change spanish constitution and everything to do it legally and even if you can do all that the fact remains that a large minority in catalonia will not be happy so personally i think it's better to. go for a gradual approach and as i mentioned this deftly this definitely means that we should stop pretending that. or madrid should stop pretending that there is no such thing as an independence movement it's there it has large support in society and also indeed when talking about getting done the same rights as the box you can see india there's no reason why extremadura then or a poorer spanish region should not get the same doxygen powers in effect i think that's one of the strengths of the swiss model that's one of the reasons why

switzerland is such a wealthy country because poor regions can actually outcompete others by reducing taxes by offering an attractive environment to invest rather than relying on transfers because transfers of course as we have seen not only in spain but in italy you know country belgium even in germany are a terrible meant to off boosting development so you could argue if you really care about spain and making. in spain economically stronger you need to go flora economic decentralization more let me ask you how much is all this going to affect the trajectory of the pro secession movement in the years to come. well actually they haven't moved much the difference is that they have divided themselves and there are many different than them sees us and as peter was saying

it's true that many people in spain is tired of what's happening in catalonia but think that i mean people results are tired of the situation of course because we need to respond and there are many people who are independent these there are many people who are not and. we were saying here which would be the best solution i think it's in another step like if you total north to be independent from a spank this should be a debate that once we are here once we are discussing if has only one sabinus thing as now as on a whole most community or as a region or as comes on like in truth or honor or us alliance for the russian the real for the russian not like now because here we have article a 100 employees $55.00 which was involved in catalonia so this would be another discussion farther on on cybercrime not what most of the independent the farces are

asking for is for. a consultation even if it's not binding and of course do my couch why do you want to do a consultation which is not the referendum if it's not binding of course it's for political reasons of course it's for negotiation. i was in the stream or in 1990 and it was a consultation and i was there with the united nations and it was not binding the east timor referendum in 1990 s. the old it had the political power so i think from here from qatar only a what people wants many people want in a consultation on the topic that doesn't mean that we will end up being in the pen then or this will be the solution and i think most of the people what we want police myself or many people to start we have. solution we talk about the people that there is a real consultation and i think if it is us playing place it well if the rest of us

pennies the government over stain of course because of their own is part of a thing if the rest of us then the government overspent place it well it was me. i would respond and. they need him in the u.k. with a scotland and also about the threshold if there was one of the turnout during the election day here in qatar on the out last time they. yes it was our own turnout but nothing points out that the fact that the ones that didn't turn out where both import duty so and we had other elections with low turnout and no one question these other elections and also hear from the catalan government they tried to postpone the elections but the catalan supreme court say that this was against the constitution and the right to vote so we have many discussions going on here i mean i'm not saying i'm agreeing with one or the other but i think the rest of us

spain and also the european union should be aware of the fact that there are big differences regarding the. dependence of a lonely or or they're going to zation of the catalan situation christina let me also ask you about the issue of turnout because as mark mentioned turnout for this election was far lower than it was in 2017 you mentioned a few minutes ago is a concern that's growing throughout the country because of covered 1000 because of the pandemic from your point of view was the low turnout mostly because of fears of contracting the virus or were there other underlying issues. i think both there was of course fear of the virus but we cannot say i think. it was very they will the election was very well organized we've seen how civic to population of catalunya has been how everyone was keeping all the measures and so on so there was no just.

a real justification for not going to vote yes for 19 and also we have a very good postal system for voting so that wouldn't be an excuse that i think there are there is be no that the homeless ation on both sides and there i completely agree with mark it's been less participation in the independent growing dependence i put on it and mostly from the other side going back to a few years. that total support of growing dependent parties have have got 600000 less votes than indicators than it is that is that is what deflects these movies nation will mean also in deploying to bend this size which is always more likely to to go to the pulse and to to have fled their homes peter what's the immediate impact of these election results and how long is it going to take negotiations now to try to form

a government how messy could this become or is it going to be a relatively easy. well the interesting thing is that one of the leslie government parties e.r.c. is actually holds the keys to power roles the balance of power in madrid it's very important for the government of the little sunshine is so so i can imagine this party will tell sanchez look we want a d.n.c. . and otherwise who will no longer support sudan and may have repercussions will instability of the spanish government the central government in . in madrid i think from outside of spain investors european union all the capitals they basically will wait and see what happens i have the impression that the current government is more open to engage with the continent nationalists than than its predecessor. the british censors. have

to see in practice if they actually are willing to make some material. concessions i do think that it's a weiss thing for foreign entities and countries to stay out of this i don't think the e.u. should. should side with anyone in this debate or the e.u. should give honest responses when people ask ok join you right away but the answer is very simple some arrangement with spain will need to be found no matter what happens so it's incredibly important both sides talk and sit together and appreciate each other's point of view. knots trying to deny the sentiment in qatar pneumonia trying to deny that some do not want to be independent and try to find at

least that middle way and perhaps if you're a nationalist you can say look. maybe in 15 years me can get real independence but not this is no response line solution more let me ask you what do you think is going to happen going forward when it comes to the negotiations and also are you concerned that the region's parliament is only going to become more fragmented well in the. i'm not totally sure but what i saw from movies one of their readings from these elections is that both brock's the parties that caught more votes were the ones that were more for negotiation like the socialist party in the sight of a spain and the spanish government not the spain because they don't inspire the west bank but in the sight of the spanish government any got on your ear see scattered republican and bold are the ones that have already the at the start of the negotiation they think that they start the talk so. this is.

most probably e.r.c. will be will have the president the presidency of the of the catalan government they will be the press party with the presidency thought the head of the government and but together with them they will have all their independent these parties maybe or the socialist party but before the elections they already say that they will not make an agreement with the door to have a government. because they are a king of the socialist party of bolting for article 155 which was dark the call of the spanish constitution that has been to move the car to learn a whole new me so i think that the parliament will be you need these very divided but it still. will have a government all right we're going to leave the discussion there because we've run

out of time thank you so much to all of our guests margie letter voc s. peter klepper and christine at manzanar and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time visiting our website al-jazeera dot com and for further discussion go to our facebook page that's facebook dot com forward slash a.j. inside story you can also join the conversation on twitter our handle is at a.j. inside story for me my mage and join the whole team here by frank thank .

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