By SARA MALM
WHY DOES CATALONIA WANT INDEPENDENCE?
Catalonia, home to 7.5million in the north-east, has its own language, culture and traditions, and many who live there see themselves as Catalan, not Spanish.
It lost its autonomy in the wake of the Civil War under Francisco Franco, and among other things, the population was banned from speaking Catalan. It regained some autonomy after Franco died in 1975, but for many this was not enough.
DO ALL CATALANS WANT INDEPENDENCE?
Catalonia is Spain’s most prosperous region, and in the wake of the 2008-2016 financial crisis, support for independence has been growing, but low turnouts have skewed polls.
An informal referendum in 2014 saw 81 per cent support independence, but just over 40 per cent came out to vote.
A 2017 poll by Centre for Opinion Studies found that 49.4 per cent was against independence, and just 41.4 per cent was in favour.
The result on Sunday was 90 per cent in favour, but just 42 per cent of eligible voters took part and it is thought most of those who are against independence stayed at home.
HOW CAN THEY BECOME INDEPENDENT?
The legitimate and recognised way would be a referendum acknowledged by the Spanish government.
The Catalan regional government claims Sunday’s vote was legitimate and so is expected to declare independence in a vote next week.
However, it must be recognised as an independent country and – so far – no country or international body has expressed any support for this.
In addition, The EU is standing solidly behind Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and says Catalonia would be expelled from the bloc and the shared euro currency.
WHAT CAN SPAIN DO TO STOP IT?
Spain has declared the referendum illegal and invalid, and while Catalonia is autonomous, it is still a part of the country and must obey its constitution.
The government can invoke the constitution’s Article 155, which allows the government to suspend, totally or partially, any region’s self-government if it disobeys its constitutional obligations or attacks the general interests of Spain.
However if the government does not make an effort to try to appease Catalan separatists – or removes Catalonia’s autonomy – it is inevitably going to trigger massive protests and strikes in a time where tensions are already at its highest since the end of Franco’s reign, and the Spanish economy is still recovering from it’s ‘Great Recession’.
SO WHAT WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN NOW?
Both sides say they are open to dialogue – but have put up conditions unacceptable to the other.
Prime Minister Rajoy had insisted he couldn’t discuss a referendum unless the constitution was changed, and invited Catalonia to work on changing it.
The Catalan government said its right to choose whether or not they want to be part of Spain must be respected first before talks could proceed.
Catalonia now wants the EU to intervene, an unlikely prospect, and calls for international mediation, something Spain is not likely to agree to.