Catalonia thinking about secession from Spain

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As Spain sinks, many in Catalonia want out
by By Meritxell Mir, Special for USA TODAY
Updated 2d 1h ago

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Protesters stand in front of riot policemen during a demonstration Tuesday in Madrid.

Dominique Faget, AFP/Getty Images

Protesters stand in front of riot policemen during a demonstration Tuesday in Madrid.

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Dominique Faget, AFP/Getty Images

Protesters stand in front of riot policemen during a demonstration Tuesday in Madrid.
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BARCELONA, Spain -- This historic region on the Mediterranean -- a center of European industrial design and tourism -- has special status as an autonomous district of Spain known as Catalonia.

And as financial problems mount for Spain, many here want to get a whole lot more autonomous.

Spain is entering its second recession in four years and some Catalans say they are getting little for the river of tax revenue they send to Madrid annually. The solution they say is an independent nation.

"Financially speaking, Catalonia is perfect for Spain," said Osvald Calzada, 32, a copywriter from Lleida, in the western part of the region. "Catalonia is the cow they constantly milk, only giving her enough grass to survive."

On Thursday, the Catalan parliament voted in favor of holding a referendum on independence after November elections whether allowed by the Spanish government or not (under current law, only Madrid can call a legal referendum.)

Spain is taking secession talk seriously in the current financial climate. Even King Juan Carlos, who last spoke publicly on politics during a coup attempt in 1981, appealed for restraint.

"In these circumstances, the worst thing we can do is divide our forces, encourage dissent, chase chimeras and deepen wounds," he said.

The increasing demands for independence in Catalonia are the latest consequence of the European debt crisis, analysts say. As budget deficits grow, governments have slashed spending on education, health services and public sector workers. More austerity measures were announced Thursday in Spain.

Catalonia, which encompasses four provinces, has not escaped the curtailment of public services and jobs. But many here say it is unfair given that 7.5 million Catalans pay $15 billion to $20 billion more in taxes annually than they get back from Madrid in social services or infrastructure.

Despite its economic vitality, Catalonia is currently Spain's most indebted region. Recently the government here asked Madrid for $6.2 billion in financial assistance, but not in a loan. The government wanted the money free and clear, saying it belongs to Catalans and was wasted by the Spanish government.

"There is no other territory in the world suffering such fiscal plundering," said Marc Guerrero, professor of international finance at European University in Barcelona. "If we could collect and keep all taxes, this wouldn't have happened and the standard of living of Catalans would be much higher."

Anger was on display for all to see on Sept. 11, Catalonia's National Day, when an estimated 1.5 million people filled the streets bearing signs that said, "Catalonia, the next independent state in Europe," and "We want a divorce because we are not happy in this marriage."

People sang the Catalan national anthem and marched through the city in one of the largest demonstrations in the history of Spain. A recent media poll showed that 51% of Catalans would vote in favor of separating from Spain, the highest percentage ever marked on a survey.

Analysts say that the younger generation doesn't feel the ghost of Spain's former military dictatorship of Francisco Franco â?? when any form of separatism was persecuted â?? and have been taught in school about the oppression suffered under the Spaniards for more than three centuries of Catalonia's 1,000 years of existence.

An unemployment rate in the region of almost 22% is also fueling rhetoric from pro-independence parties.

In its latest response to the debt crisis, Spain approved a budget Thursday that froze public sector wages for the third year in a row, cut government spending by 12% and imposed a new 20% tax on winnings from lotteries above $3,230. Spain was also expected to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67.

If Catalonia were to leave, Spain would lose an economic engine that makes up 20% of the national economy and has one of the most important commercial harbors in the Mediterranean.Mikel Buesa, an economics professor at Madrid's Complutense University, thinks both Catalonia and Spain would suffer with the split.

"Surrounding Catalonia with borders would bring its GDP down by 30%, Spaniards would boycott Catalan products (like in 2006), and many companies would leave the territory, possibly to settle in Spain," Buesa said.

Others disagree.

"Catalonia doesn't need Spain," Guerrero said. "Last year we already exported more to foreign countries than to Spain, and Catalonia alone exported 25% of the total Spanish exports."

The European Union has already warned Catalans that if they leave Spain they will have to seek readmission to the bloc, a process that, according to Buesa, could take years with all EU members unanimously required to approve the candidacy â?? including Spain.

That has left the leader of Catalonia, Artur Mas, in a tricky position. While seeing his region leave Spain is not his top choice, the Spanish government is refusing to negotiate while pro-independence sentiment at home rises.

"With all its refusals, Spain is showing us the way out the door," Calzada said. "It won't be easy, but I am convinced that we will stay afloat, just like we always have."

This is interesting. What do those of y'all living in Europe think of this?

[Haruko]

Belgium perhaps has a more precarious politics. After all, it started out unitary but became federalist and has been getting more federalist ever since, with three power centers competing with each other and at least two that finds separatism somewhat attractive. Perhaps similar solutions may be applied for Catalonia.

Also, seems there is a possibility Catalonia is just blowing hot air to get more easy concessions. Just a guess with my limited information, and knowing very little about the history of Spain, much less Catalonia, though I see the European Union is putting its foot down on the Catalonians.

And I am not European. Imagine I would be more familiar with the nuances of European politics if I were not an ocean away.

[Stark]

This is hardly a new issue, and I'm not surprised the Spanish government is taking it seriously.

[Haruko]

What I have been getting from following the crises is that Spain has it pretty bad, but not nearly as bad as Greece, and so far the Spanish have only asked for a bailout for their banks, not for their government. Though I also hear the unemployment is at, what, 25% with 50% youth unemployment? Recipe for unrest, certainly. And to think only a decade ago historian Rodolfo Acuna was praising Spanish political stability as a model for the States.

So Stark do you think this threat to be as serious as Quebec has been for Canada? At least I assume Quebec gave reason for Canadian officials to skip a heart beat.

[Stark]

Spain has had regionalism for ages, but in Catalonia it's gone as far as 'speak Spanish you bastards'. I doubt they seriously want to leave, but there'd be plenty of support if they did.

And TBH if the United States was in a situation as bad as many of these countries you'd be seeing how the whole 'three meals from extremism' thing works.

[mr friendly guy]

Catalonia has had pro independence tendencies for some time now. A lot of soccer rivalries between Spanish clubs, eg Barcelona and Real Madrid, take on an ethnic dimension where some of the merchandise purchased don't just display your team's colours, but also displays pro secessionist, anti secessionists messages.

This documentary highlights some of the issues.

[Haruko]

Wanting to joke that much of these rivalries take on ethnic dimensions, but it seems pretty serious. Just remembering all the stories about the Euro 2012, especially in Ukraine and Poland. There was some embarrassment over that for the two countries mentioned, if memory serves. Even remember those Deutsche Welle Journal (a German news program) reports about nationalistic soccer fans buying off a section of the stadium and looking for a fight with anyone of the "wrong" race.

[Coop D'etat]

What I have been getting from following the crises is that Spain has it pretty bad, but not nearly as bad as Greece, and so far the Spanish have only asked for a bailout for their banks, not for their government. Though I also hear the unemployment is at, what, 25% with 50% youth unemployment? Recipe for unrest, certainly. And to think only a decade ago historian Rodolfo Acuna was praising Spanish political stability as a model for the States.

So Stark do you think this threat to be as serious as Quebec has been for Canada? At least I assume Quebec gave reason for Canadian officials to skip a heart beat.

You can see the parallel to Quebec in that separation was only a immediate threat in the wake of the Federal government's debt crisis in early nineties.

The dynamic is flipped though in that Quebec is relatively impoverished and Catalonia relatively wealthy for their country.