Page:Declaration of sovereignty and of the right to decide of the people of Catalonia.pdf/3

  1. Sovereignty. The people of Catalonia has, for reasons of democratic legitimacy, the nature of a sovereign political and legal subject.

2. Democratic legitimacy. The process of exercising the right to decide shall be strictly democratic and it shall especially ensure pluralism and respect for all options, through debate and dialogue within Catalan society, so that the statement resulting therefrom shall be the expression of the majority will of the people, which shall be the fundamental guarantor of the right to decide.

3. Transparency. All necessary instruments shall be provided so that the Catalan people and civil society as a whole may have all relevant information and knowledge in order to exercise the right to decide and with a view to promoting their participation in the process.

4. Dialogue. Dialogue and negotiations shall be held with the Spanish State, with the European institutions and with the international community as a whole.

5. Social cohesion. The social and territorial cohesion of the country shall be assured, as well as the will expressed on many occasions by Catalan society to keep Catalonia united as one.

6. Europeanism. The founding principles of the European Union shall be defended and promoted, particularly the fundamental rights of citizens, democracy, the commitment to the welfare state and solidarity among the various peoples of Europe and the commitment to economic, social and cultural progress.

7. Legality. All existing legal frameworks shall be used to implement the reinforcement of democracy and to exercise the right to decide.

8. Leading role of the Catalan Parliament. The Catalan Parliament, as the institution representing the people of Catalonia, shall play a leading role in this process and, therefore, the working mechanisms and methods ensuring this principle must be decided and specified.

9. Participation. The Parliament of Catalonia and the Government of the Generalitat shall ensure the active participation in this process of the local sphere and of a maximum number of political forces, economic and social agents and cultural and civic entities of Catalonia, and they shall specify the mechanisms to ensure this principle.

The Parliament of Catalonia encourages all citizens to actively participate in the democratic process of exercising the right to decide of the people of Catalonia.

Palace of the Parliament, 23 January 2013

The fourth Secretary

David Companyon i Costa The President of the Parliament

Núaria de Gispert i Catalanà