The Spanish region of Catalonia is set to hold a referendum on independence on October 1. Article 93 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution establishes that Spain must act in a way that complies with the content of international treaties signed by Spain, including the above. Gaudí’s biographer Gijs van Hensbergen told 60 Minutes this year that what made Gaudi unique was how he saw space. Catalonia is a region of northeastern Spain: it's home to Barcelona, 7.5 million people, and a proud tradition of independence dating back nearly 1,000 years.Although officially part of Spain since the state was created, the region has its own language and cultural identity. On October 1, 2017, Catalonia voted in a referendum to declare its independence. Constitutional Court Ruling 138/2010, of the 16th December, on the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (BOE no. The names of the Catalan representatives were not on the list transmitted by the Spanish authorities since they had not traveled to Spain to take the oath. CATALONIA IS NOT SPAIN. It’s a joint-official language with Spanish, and public servants are mandated to use it. The establishment of democratic rule in Spain after Franco’s death did not lessen Catalonia’s desire for autonomy, and in September 1977 limited autonomy was granted to the region. The first separatist movements date back to the 17th century, when the Catalan population revolted against Castilian troops in 1640. Its levels of autonomy - like those of other Spanish regions - have varied over time.During the 20th century dictatorship of General Franco, the culture, language and identity of Cat… We want to create a space where we can voice your views, get the full picture of a debate and shape your own opinions. Catalonia has already taken the steps to ban bullfighting because the population sees the practice as being barbaric and cruel. Catalonia: A New Independent State in Europe examines the main issues of the political process which is taking place in Catalonia today. The right to national self-determination is a cornerstone of international law. The independence movement was strengthened when the Spanish Constitutional Court annulled 14 articles of the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia in 2006. © 2021 Quartz Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In 2014 there was an unofficial referendum (with an estimated turn out of 37-41%) on independence in which 80 per cent of voters said they wanted Catalonia to be an independent state. At The Rift, we believe in people, in individuals. Brexit has also added momentum to the case for Scottish independence. Your email address will not be published. Explore the pros and cons of the debate Catalonia deserves the independence. (The BBC has a handy timeline, dating back to the 9th century). But what makes Catalonia so different from Spain anyway? Catalonia formally declared its independence from Spain on Friday (Oct. 27) and the central government in Madrid hit back within hours, stripping the region of all its autonomy. The Catalan independence referendum of 2017, also known by the numeronym 1-O (for "1 October") in Spanish media, was an independence referendum held on 1 October 2017 in the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia, passed by the Parliament of Catalonia as the Law on the Referendum on Self-determination of Catalonia and called by the Generalitat de Catalunya. It’s in part due to the Barcelona native that we have foams, vapors, sands, and bursting pearls on our plates today. Gun control in the United States is a recurring topic – The Rift asked Eric Lundy and Philip Van Cleave their opinions on the matter. Catalan identity can already be freely expressed. Catalonia is a region located in the northeast of Spain, on the border of France and Andorra. Independence would not make it more free. There is little or no support in Spain for Catalan independence. These documents recognize Catalonia as a Generality – an autonomous region within the Spanish State. Dalí’s depictions of the warped images of his dreams and subconscious shook up the art world. However, he was denied access to the European Parliament and the allocation of his MEP badge. When the Franco regime ended it was decided that Catalonia should have autonomy. The campaign for Catalan independence rests on a simple proposition: as a matter of history, culture, language, and contemporary political and economic realities, the ‘Catalan nation’ has the right to self-determination which it should exercise by seceding from Spain and establishing an independent, democratic state within the EU. 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