Tag Archives: Catalonia

01/22/13

Sovereignty equals independence? Recent declarations show a variety of outcomes

The Parliament of Catalonia (right image) is likely to pass tomorrow a declaration on the sovereignty of the Catalan people. This will be a milestone text in the history of the country, given that for the first time since autonomy was restored, Catalonia could be defined as a “sovereign political and legal subject”, if the proposal by three parties CiU, ERC and ICV is taken forward.

A declaration of sovereignty does not necessarily mean that independence is going to follow suit. Sometimes it is used as a preliminary legal text where the reasons for self-determination are put forward, and later on (maybe years) a declaration on independence follows. On other occasions, the process does not lead to the establishment of an independent state, but to a new agreement between the self-declared sovereign territory and the state. Continue reading →

12/3/12

Catalan political party system: heading towards fullness?

The Catalan election of November 25th has triggered a cascade of reactions and analysis. I believe, however, that not enough attention has been put on the fact that the Catalan political party system has become more diverse and comprehensive than ever since the end of the Francoist dictatorship. If it is true that “the political nation is clearly different from the nation-state when it has its own party system” (Caminal, Miquel. Nacionalisme i partits nacionals a Catalunya. Barcelona, Empúries, 2010), then one of the most relevant outcomes of the election has been the strengthening of the Catalan political nation if analyzed from the point of view of political parties. Some thoughts on this: Continue reading →

11/7/12

An “infungible body” or a nation? Aran between Catalonia, Occitania and itself

The General Council of Aran (an Occitan-speaking valley in Northwestern Catalonia that enjoys a limited degree of self-government) has recently passed a motion calling for “the right to decide” of the Aranese people in the event that Catalonia “opens a new national road” (translated into common language: if it secedes from Spain). The motion, unanimously approved, argues that the Aranese people is a “political subject” with rights that are based on language, history, institutions and culture. Interestingly, the General Council of Aran released in 2010 a document (still found on its website) which concludes that the valley is “a different, singular and infungible [sic] body united to Catalonia, not as a part of the Catalan nation, but as a part that keeps its own historical and political identity, being able to expect a territorial singularity well defined and clear” given that the Aranese are “a people with historical rights”. Continue reading →

09/28/12

The story of Lara and Vara, or two ethnicist reactions to Catalonia’s independence drive

The prospect of a process leading to Catalan independence is today a little bit more worrisome than one week ago from the point of view of ethnic politics. And it is not because Catalanism has suddenly changed its strongly civic approach to the issue, but because of some troubling reactions from Spanish nationalism. I’ll go through a couple of them: one -from one of the most important businessmen in Spain- touching language, and the other one -from a former president of an autonomous community- touching family origins.

One of Catalonia’s and Spain’s main book publishers in Spanish language, José Manuel Lara (Grupo Planeta, owning over 70 publishing houses worldwide and some major media in Spain), has made headlines by saying that, in the event of Catalan independence, he will take Planeta’s headquarters (its building in the image next to the text, picture by Darz Mol) away from Catalan capital city Barcelona because “no other publishing firm has its headquarters in a foreign country where another language is spoken. It is absurd”. Continue reading →

03/3/12

Economy, values and identity: essentials for the Catalan independence movement

One of the interesting things recorded at the political opinion survey released in March by the Opinion Research Centre of the Catalan government is the range of motivations that are currently pushing people to support independence (a move that is wished by 44.6% of those asked). In Spanish nationalist milieus it is usual to hear that the pro-independence movement in Catalonia is inherently ethnicist, closed in on itself, even xenophobic. The survey shows that these are basically false accusations. Continue reading →