CATALONIA -- Catalans who want independence are being thwarted by a flawed Spanish constitution - Comment - Voices - The Independent
These are tough times for Spanish politicians. The established parties in Madrid are mired in a corruption scandal for which Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already been forced to apologise. And now they face a serious challenge ahead of next year’s general election from Podemos, a left-wing grassroots political start-up that was formed only in January, and that already threatens to dismantle many of the country’s political conventions.
Perhaps the biggest headache, however, is Catalonia. After Sunday’s unofficial poll in which more than 1.8m people voted to back independence for the wealthy region in the north east of the country, it is clear that Madrid and Barcelona are on an irretrievable collision course. Its loss seriously threatens the future of Spain.
Of all the Spanish regions, Catalonia carries the largest economic clout, contributing almost 20 per cent of Spain’s overall GDP; it boasts a host of multinational companies; its population is young and entrepreneurial and its rate of unemployment is considerably lower than the rest of the country. On the cultural side, it has its own language and customs, and it is fiercely resistant to changes imposed by Madrid. Emotions are still raw after a 2010 constitution court decision to limit an already agreed transfer of powers.
