The leaders of Britain’s main political parties may currently be basking in the glory of Scotland voting not to leave the Union, but Spain’s Prime Minister has troubles of his own as Catalonia, a wealthy north-eastern region of the country that is fiercely protective of its individuality, is calling for its own independence.
Spain’s Constitutional Court has acceded to a request from Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to halt plans for a referendum that is “incompatible with the Spanish constitution”. Speaking in a televised address to the nation, Señor Rajoy said: “Nobody and nothing will be allowed to break up Spain.”
However, buoyed by Scotland’s success in mobilising its electorate, hundreds of thousands of Catalans, unhappy at Spain’s refusal to give them more powers, joined a protest in Barcelona recently in support of their leader, Artur Mas, who signed a decree on Saturday requesting a referendum.
Catalonia’s 7.5 million inhabitants make up approximately 16 % of the population of Spain. Yet it is one of Spain’s richest and most highly industrialised regions, as well as one of its most independent-minded. Spain’s deepening economic crisis, though, has seen a surge in support for separation.
On September 11th, a vast crowd rallied in support of independence in Barcelona, as Catalonia marked “La Diada”, the 300th anniversary of the end of the city’s siege. Then on September 19th, the regional parliament voted by 106 to 28 in favour of granting Catalonia’s president the power to hold a referendum, known locally as a “consultation”.
Señor Mas, who was re-elected in December 2012, says he can use local laws to hold the vote, even though the central government says its blessing is required.
“I can’t pretend that this will be easy, but it doesn’t work just coming out to protest once a year,” Señor Mas said on Catalan television at the weekend.
“The future is something you conquer, not a gift, and we have to earn that,” he added.
A recent poll for Spain’s El Pais newspaper showed that 45% of Catalans were in favour of suspending the referendum if the Constitutional Court declared it illegal. Only 23% would like the referendum to go ahead regardless, the survey suggested.
Señor Mas has only recently become a supporter of full independence. Since 2007, he has spearheaded a push to revitalise Catalan nationalism known as the Refoundation of Catalanism.
Catalonia’s jewel in the crown is Barcelona, Spain’s second most populous city behind Madrid and the only second city in the whole of Europe to figure in the continent’s 35 wealthiest cities.
