Catalonia takes steps towards sovereignty

Anna Sonny, 8 March 2013

The autonomous region of Catalonia in the north east of Spain, has announced plans for a referendum on sovereignty. Early this year, the government approved a largely symbolic declaration of sovereignty, with 85 votes for, 41 against and 2 abstentions. Plans are now being made to form a transition council which will conduct research and advise on the route towards independence.

Cultural and linguistic differences are an important factor in Catalonia’s push for independence, but many Catalans also believe that the region would be better off economically if it were to secede from Spain. Catalonia is a wealthy region with a powerful industrial sector, and many see it as an injustice that they are net contributors to Spain’s national redistribution scheme.

The referendum is expected to be held in 2014, the same year that Scotland plans to put the issue of independence to the public vote. Like Catalonia, Scotland believes it could fare better economically as an independent state, with its North Sea Oil reserves and its diverse range of manufactured exports, including whisky and textiles.

Last October British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, struck a deal in which the UK government agreed to grant legal authority to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum.

Whereas the UK government and Scotland are working together, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is firmly against a Catalan secession, arguing that it goes against the constitution, which establishes the ‘indissoluble unity’ of Spain’s seventeen autonomous regions. There are also fears that a Catalan secession could lead to other regions demanding independence, potentially breaking up Spain.

While Catalonia’s route to independence may be a lot more difficult than Scotland’s in the face of threatened legal action to stop a referendum by Madrid, both Catalonia and Scotland will have to deal with negotiating their way back into the EU; any states seceding will have to reapply for EU membership, which is a very lengthy process.