Catalonia Lays the Groundwork for Another Secession Referendum from Spain

Catalan Government are pushing again for independence

The Catalonian regional government are preparing to put together another referendum vote on secession from Spain – even though such a referendum would likely not have any legal standing in Spanish law.

Two years ago Catalonia held a symbolic vote by pro-independence campaigners. Over two million voters turned up keep to gain independence from Spain, but there wasn’t much turnout overall because the referendum would have no real effect on Catalonia’s independence.

The Catalan government recently issued an opinion that showed some 45.3% of Catalans support secession, while 46.8% are against it.

It’s unlikely that there will actually be a legally binding vote. The Rajoy government and Madrid have said on numerous occasions that they are not going to countenance talk of an official referendum, and even placed sanctions and brought charges against some of the senior politicians that were involved in the last vote.

Raul Romeva, former MEP and the foreign policy chief of the Catalan government has said that he would be willing to face such consequences as he continues to push for a referendum vote in September.

Romeva says that the referendum is being prepared because Catalan needs to be ready, whether the referendum is agreed on or not. The Catalan government recently met with the Madrid government, but it’s unknown if secession was a topic of conversation or not. There have been rumours that the Spanish government has put together an offer for moving forward, but there’s been nothing concrete announced so far.

Romeva says that the Catalan government is ready and keen to start negotiating. They have given the Spanish government an offer for agreeing how and when the referendum the can be held. Romeva added that Catalonia is still going to organise and hold a referendum vote, even if Madrid doesn’t agree to it.

There has been strong demand from some Catalans to separate from Spain, with the amount of voices calling for secession growing in recent years. Catalan is wealthier than the rest of Spain, leaving many Catalans believing that it could survive and thrive as an independent nation without the need for its wealth to be funnelled and used to support poorer areas.

However, the calls for referendum seem to be falling following the strong recovery of the Spanish economy. With the Brexit and the idea of Scottish independence still on the table, some Catalans are worried that they could be shunted out of the EU at a time when it looks like membership is non-negotiable for many.

Catalonia to Push for Secession Without Approval from Madrid

Catalonia to Push for Secession Without Approval from Madrid

Catalonia have been pushing for independence

for a long time

Many Catalans have been eager to get their independence but it looks like they’ve been held back at every turn, especially from a political standpoint.

The government of Catalonia has said that they will continue their attempts to break away from Spain even if they can’t secure the approval of the Spanish government.

The debates are becoming as heated as ever as is evidenced by Catalonia defying the Spanish constitutional court by talking about their own sovereignty in this manner. The parliament of Catalan put together a resolution to become an independent state nine months ago but their requests were never answered by those in Madrid.

Raül Romeva, the Catalonian minster of foreign affairs, has said that the Spanish state has left Catalonians feeling like they don’t have an alternative anymore. Their goal was to try and do what Scotland did when they sought independence; they wished to negotiate with the Spanish government and hold a democratic referendum. They are trying to talk to Madrid but they hear nothing in response.

Madrid would like to avoid seeing Spain break up and are even more apprehsensive following the recent Brexit decision and the idea that Scotland will once again call for a referendum for independence from the UK; a referendum that may very well pass this time.

Romeva has almost given Madrid an ultimatum, saying that the Spanish national government can continue to deny reality and believe that they can use their courts and legal processes to stop it, or they can accept reality and prepare for the inevitable Catalan independence.

A recent poll suggests that many Catalonian voters support the idea of an independent Catalonia and the current incumbent Catalonian government has already drawn up plans to come up with workable departments for collecting taxes, social security apparatus and a foreign affairs department ready for when they gain independence and need such things.

Romera believes that the independence referendum will be called within a year and believes that Madrid must accept what the Catalonian people want.

The stance of Madrid is really quite simple to understand; as Catalonia is not currently a nation any referendum they hold will not be legally binding in a Spanish or EU court. This is an impasse that Catalonia is determined to get past.

Romeva said that Catalonia would obviously be an ally ofSpain because of markets and infrastructure and other cultural and linguistic reasons. He also believes that Europe wouldn’t want to lose the socially and economically dynamic reality. As such any claim that an independent Catalonia would have no place in the EU is false.