Today is the eleventh of September and it can be a bad day for independence. On the eve of the Diada, this movement has experienced a new divisive episode, along the lines of those that were already a burden for its interests in the partisan, governmental or parliamentary sphere. The episode began with an ANC manifesto advising to "leave the parties behind". Then its president, Dolors Feliu, declared that "we will not stand idly by" (in an interview with La Vanguardia for which, incidentally, she was photographed with her arms folded). And he added that if President Aragonès did not go to his demonstration today, it would be because "he is not involved in the process for independence". Then, he replied confirming that he would not go to such a demonstration (but he would go to the Omnium event). The ERC councilors will not be there either. In short, this September 11 does not look good for sovereignty. The ANC organizes one event and Òmnium, another. And those from Junts and ERC, as always on the brink, may feel more inclined to attend one or the other. The previously united demonstration is expected today to be lavish in the disqualifications of those absent. Tomorrow, whoever falls into the temptation to brag about their numbers and despise those of the rival will only deepen the division.
The ANC accuses the parties - in particular, ERC - of betraying the independence project, because after the wreck of 2017 the republicans accepted reality, did a reset and took another path towards their goal, more passable and longer, although also uncertain. On the other hand, the ANC does not seem to understand what happened in 2017 and remains convinced that, through mobilizations, the "people" can "do" independence. Without admitting what he has already experienced: that his path runs into an insurmountable wall.
Any politician in the 21st century who resorts to this idea of "the people" should fall in shame. Whether it is Pedro Sánchez, who in recent days frequently uses this concept and lectures freely in front of a red lectern with the slogan “PSOE. The Government of the People” (note the last capital letter, with a touch of cynicism). Or whether it's the ANC, which cultivates it and tries to get fruit from it - without great success, apart from the sale of T-shirts - since its origins.
Let's remember it once more: "the people" is an entelechy with blurred contours, much appreciated by all kinds of populisms, but irrelevant until it is revalidated by the ballot boxes - I mean the non-unilateral ballot boxes, recognized by all citizens without exception – and it becomes a sufficient and reliable figure. And, even if this number is high, then there will still be things to do. You can make holidays, you can make cathedrals or you can make doughnuts, activities that all require a certain technique and skills. But which, well executed, give results that can be enjoyed, tangible or edible. That is, real.
But doing independence the way of the ANC is doing it only by mouth, at least in the last decade of crowded, uniformed and choreographed demonstrations. Among other reasons, because the ANC's technique has begun and ended in the spectacular mobilization of the "people", which it is now weakening with purges. This entity presents itself as the engine of independence, but it does not control the gear change: its engine is hoarse, sleepless, although always in neutral, so the car does not go very far.
Perhaps for this reason, he has stated his intention to promote before the next autonomous civic lists, which in fact could become a fourth pro-independence candidacy, which would add to the three already existing, and would certainly violate what the statutes say of the entity in its article 2, point 4: "The ANC will remain independent of any political party, electoral coalition or group of voters and will not stand in any type of election".
The president of the ANC, in her manifestations of hostility towards the parties, has said that "the people" will "pass over them". Will the future of the ANC be very different when it behaves like a party? Who knows. For now, what we're likely to see today will be a divided September 11: the worst in the last ten years.
