Catalonian independence – a dilemma for Spain, but also for Europe

Miroslava Pěčková analyses, in her new blog, the situation of Catalonia's autonomy and relations with Spain.

• Catalonia’s intentions of broadening its autonomy and to attain independence is not novel. However, it certainly reached a whole new level very quickly after the referendum that took place on the 1st October.
• As we know, the Catalonian referendum for independence was prior to its execution proclaimed unconstitutional. The Spanish government warned that such referendum is not going to be accepted and will be met with consequences if realized. However, on the day of the election dawned, the voters were encountered with an arguably disproportionately brutal intervention by the Spain police forces.
• As pictures of Spanish policemen violently beating up unarmed civilians at the voting stations and raiding venues with voting ballots spread in media, Spain inadverdently validated the Catalonian independence movement´s claims of Spanish oppression, further stoking tensions between Spain and Catalonia.

On the other hand, it is necessary to point out that Catalonian public is divided on this issue. Supporters of the independence organize protests, display Catalonian flags on their balconies (which I encountered during my visit in Barcelona last summer and I definitely was surprised with the vast number of it), create campaigns and videos, sharing it on social media. Opponents of the idea are, however, being heard much less.

In general, neither individual countries nor the European Union as a whole supported Piudgemont. On the contrary, Donal Tusk, the President of the European Council, said no EU member state will recognize Catalonia as a sovereign state.

Article 155 is not going to cancel Catalonian autonomy per se, only constrain it until new elections have been conducted. However, no matter how the central government explains the choice of this so-called nuclear option, its logic is paradoxical; simply put, Madrid wants to remove a legally elected government, because it does not cooperate the way it desires and hopes for a more suitable one as its successor.

You can read the whole blog on EurActiv.eu.

Miroslava Pisklová
Project Manager

Expertise: European security and defence, hybrid threats, Transatlantic relations, Slovak national and foreign policy