Catalonia is an autonomous region located in Spain. Its capital is located in Barcelona. Nationalist sentiment has historically been strong in this region. Repeatedly, the Catalans have already tried to declare their independence. At the moment, they were able to achieve a certain autonomy, but Spain refuses to recognize them as a separate state.
Background
Catalonia is a region whose desire to secede and gain formal independence has been talked about a lot lately. It is currently perhaps the most massive separatist movement on the entire European continent.
Initially, Catalonia is an area inhabited by the Iberians. They moved here from North Africa. In the 2nd century BC, Barcelona flourished under Roman rule.
In the 8th century, the Moors invaded Spain. Barcelona also fell under their pressure. Only the Carolingians were able to drive the Moors out of Catalonia.
In 1871, Catalonia tried to secede from Spain, but as a result of negotiations, the region decided to remain part of the kingdom.
The next time the Parliament of Catalonia tried to proclaim independence in the 1930s. But the Republican government recognized these attempts as illegal, the instigatorswere arrested.
In 1979, Catalonia received autonomous status. This meant that the Catalan language was recognized in the region. From now on, autonomy could have its own government, which, at the same time, is actually part of the Spanish state system of constitutional monarchy.
Government meets in Barcelona. It considers itself the successor of the Cortes assemblies that existed in the middle of the 14th century. Carles Puigdemont is currently in charge of Catalonia.
In 2006, the autonomous status of the region was expanded. He received relative financial independence.
Independence Movement
At the same time, the political movement for the independence of Catalonia was extremely popular. Its activists argue that the Catalan nation is culturally and historically isolated, which means it must seek full sovereignty.
Currently, Catalan separatism is only comparable to Scottish separatism in scale and popularity.
Despite previous setbacks, the Catalan Independence Movement organized sovereignty referendums in 2009 and 2010, which took the form of polls. Then about 90% of fellow citizens spoke out for independence. In 2012, the March for Independence was held, in which about one and a half million people took part.
In 2012, only supporters of Catalan sovereignty won the regional elections. Already by 2014, a referendum on secession from Spain was being prepared. The Spanish government, in turn, insisted that thisthe referendum should not take place. As a result of negotiations, it was frozen. Instead, they conducted a survey on the political future of the autonomy, which had no legal force. About 80% of respondents spoke for independence.
In 2015, as a result of early elections to the Parliament of Catalonia, the coalition under the original name "Together for Yes" won. Together with the Candidates for Popular Unity, which also received many votes, they adopted a document initiating the process of forming an independent state.
At the end of the year, the regional parliament voted to secede from Spain. The Spanish Constitutional Court declared this decision null and void.
Barcelona
Barcelona in Catalonia is the capital and largest city. Also called the province of the same name. Two official languages are officially recognized here - Spanish and Catalan.
Barcelona (Catalonia) has a highly developed economy. It is worth noting that it was this city that became one of the first regions of continental Europe, from which industrialization began to develop. As in many other places, here, too, everything began with the textile industry. It was on the eve of the 19th century. By the middle of this century, the capital of Catalonia was already a major center for mechanical engineering and the textile industry. Then industrial production began to play an important role in the development of all of Barcelona.
At the moment, the main areas of production remain chemical, automotive,pharmaceutical, textile and electronic industries. Large car assembly plants are located in the capital of Catalonia.
Cities of autonomy
Not only Barcelona is considered a significant settlement here. The key cities of Catalonia also include Tarragona. Here is one of the largest Spanish ports. The population is about 140 thousand.
Another important city in Catalonia is Lleida. About 140 thousand people also live here, the Reconquista festival is held annually. This is a colorful carnival that dates back to the Middle Ages. It is dedicated to the victory of Christians over the Moors who owned Catalonia.
Girona is home to about 100,000 people. This city is famous for its almost completely preserved medieval architecture, which attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Manresa is the industrial center of Catalonia. It is here that the glass, metallurgical and textile industries develop. About 75 thousand people live.
The important transport center of the autonomy is located in Sabadell. Two international highways converge here, as well as several routes leading to Spanish cities. More than 200 thousand people live in Sabadell.
Population of Catalonia
In total, about 7 and a half million people live in Catalonia. About a third of them are ethnic Catalans. They mainly speak Catalan and speak Spanish as a second language.
The rest of the population is dominated by Spaniards. They are about 45%. These are the inhabitants of Murcia, Andalusia and Extremadura. Most of them moved to Catalonia in the last 10-15 years. More than 10% foreigners. Mostly they are from Latin America.
Currently, the population density of Catalonia is the highest in Spain. 225 people per square kilometer in Catalonia itself and two thousand people per square kilometer in Barcelona.
Catalan
Ethnic Catalans speak Catalan. It belongs to the Romanesque group. At the same time, it has much in common with Spanish, but still its closest relative is Provencal, common in the south of France.
Catalan was first used in the 12th century. Together with Spanish, Catalan is recognized as the state language in the autonomy. At the same time, teaching in schools and universities is conducted exclusively in Catalan.
Independence referendum
Despite the active resistance of the official Spanish authorities, the referendum in Catalonia was held on October 1, 2017.
To prevent the vote, Spain sent three law enforcement ferries to Catalonia. The Attorney General of the autonomy ordered the local police to come under the direct subordination of the Civil Guard. With their help, evidence of the illegitimacy of the referendum was collected, as well as the Spanish authorities tried to disrupt it.
Participants were detained and beaten. Entrance to many polling stations was blocked. Ballot papers and ballot boxes were confiscated, in whichthey have already been omitted.
Referendum results
But the referendum in Catalonia still took place. The government of the autonomy stated that more than two million 200 thousand people out of five million 300 thousand inhabitants of Catalonia were able to express their civil position. Thus, the voter turnout was 43%.
Slightly more than two million people cast their votes for independence, which accounted for more than 90% of those who voted. 177 thousand people were against. This is less than 8% of the number of voters who came to the polls.
Consequences of the referendum
The leader of Catalonia, Puigdemont, the day after the referendum, announced that in order to cope with the differences, the participation of third forces is necessary. Only they are able to resolve the conflict between Madrid and Barcelona.
Antagonists to secession insist that independence would mean automatic exit from the European Union and abandonment of the euro. And because of this, serious economic problems will arise.
On October 10, 2017 Carles Puigdemont made an official speech in Parliament. On the same day he signed the document of independence. Later it was suspended to resume negotiations with Madrid.
How the situation will develop in the future is still unclear. For example, the head of the press service of the chairman of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy, threatened Puigdemont that he would end up the same way as the Catalan leader Luis Companys. He was killed by the Francoists in 1940.
