- design ate . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁two ▁co - pr in ces ▁of ▁And or ra ▁– ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Ur g ell ▁– ▁do ▁not ▁get ▁involved ▁in ▁internal ▁politics , ▁particularly ▁after ▁the ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁constitution ▁making ▁the ▁princip ality ▁an ▁independent ▁state . ▁ ▁Fall ▁of ▁government ▁A ▁crisis ▁in ▁government ▁developed ▁after ▁bank ing ▁secre cy ▁laws ▁were ▁lifted ▁and ▁a ▁value ▁added ▁tax ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁be ▁applied ▁to ▁companies , ▁along ▁with ▁an ▁opening ▁up ▁to ▁foreign ▁invest ment . ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁election , ▁the ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁achieved ▁a ▁pl ur ality ▁of ▁seats ▁but ▁fell ▁one ▁seat ▁short ▁of ▁an ▁overall ▁majority , ▁thus ▁providing ▁for ▁more ▁dead lock ▁during ▁key ▁pieces ▁of ▁legisl ation . ▁The ▁government ▁fell ▁two ▁years ▁before ▁its ▁full ▁four - year ▁term ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁end ▁after ▁failing ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁budget ▁with ▁an ▁absolute ▁majority . ▁Ja ume ▁Bart ume u ▁effectively ▁called ▁for ▁an ▁election ▁by ▁request ing ▁that ▁the ▁country ' s ▁co - pr in ces ▁dissol ve ▁parliament . ▁ ▁Elect oral ▁system ▁Tw enty - e ight ▁" general ▁coun c ill ors " ▁were ▁elected , ▁based ▁on ▁closed ▁party ▁lists : ▁four teen ▁general ▁coun c ill ors ▁representing ▁the ▁seven ▁par ishes ▁( two ▁coun c ill ors ▁per ▁parish ), ▁elected ▁from ▁the ▁list ▁with ▁most ▁votes ▁in ▁each ▁parish ; ▁four teen ▁general