CATALONIA REFERENDUM - A CHALLENGING PART OF SPANISH HISTORY

This week Spain passed through a Dilemma. One of the autonomous Regions of Spain “Catalonia” (Catalunya in Catalan and Cataluña in Spanish) Called for Unilateral Referendum to declare independence from Spain or to stay with Spain. 90% of the Catalans voted for Independence. Spanish Government tried to Block the referendum with police force. Catalonia Contributes around 19% of Spanish GDP and the Catalonia are a regions which has more foreign investments. The tensions between Madrid based Spanish government and Catalans are reached its peak from 2010 onwards. Before that we have to go through the history behind this dilemma. Catalonia is the north eastern province of Spain. It is bordered by France and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the Spanish autonomous communities of Aragon to the west and Valencia to the south. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish, and the Aranese dialect of Occitan. I am not going through the entire history of Catalonia. I would like to overview the brief history and the Current affairs of Catalonia.

Catalonia has its own Historical remarks in European history. They defended the Muslim Invaders and they supported France in Franco-Spanish war. And they tried to make a republic with French support (Catalonia Revolt). But it was largely reconquered by the Spanish army. Under the terms of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, which ended the wider Franco-Spanish War, the Spanish Crown ceded the northern parts of Catalonia. In 11^th September 1714 the Capital city of Catalonia Barcelona fell by Bourbon King Phillip V monastery and Catalonia seceded fully as a part of Spanish empire. During the Industrial Revolution the Catalonia got tremendous growth in Industrialization and economic development. It became an industrial Centre.

In twentieth century during the Time of Second Spanish Republic of 1931 they received a Statute of autonomy for their First time which included a parliament, Government and a court of Appeal etc. The Left wing Leader Francesc Macia Elected as first President.

During Francois Franco’s Rule

In 1936 The Spanish Civil war broke out and the Second Spanish Republic got Defeated and The Fascist General Francois Franco came to Power. His regime imposed Political and cultural Restrictions across the Spain. Any kind of socialism, nationalism, anarchism, liberalism and communism was banned. The Statute of autonomy was fully abolished .Pro republic of Spain President of Catalonia Lluis Companys got arrested ,tortured and executed in the Montjuïc Castle of Barcelona for the crime of 'military rebellion .During this time Catalonia suffered more .The situation of Catalonia under Franco’s rule was worse.

Proclamation of Second Spanish Republic on 14 April 1931 in Barcelaona

Any kind of activity showing nationalism was banned. The major ban was the Catalan language banned by Franco. Catalans protested against Franco’s linguistic and political restrictions. But Franco’s army suppressed the Catalan movement brutally. Many Catalans got killed or absconded in Francoist Spain. The Civil war devastated the region and their economy. But during 60’s the economy got recovered in a short period like a miracle not only in Catalonia the entire Spain.

After Franco

After the Death of Franco Spain restored their democracy. Juan Carlos Became the King of Spain and he denounced the Francoist Reforms. In 1978 the Spanish constitution rewritten and  adopted a new constitution named as Spanish Constitution of 1978.Termed as Indivisible Unity of Spanish Nation and Right to autonomy to the nationalities and the Constitutional Rights will monitor  through Spanish Constitutional Court.The new constitution was widely approved by all nationalities and 92% of the Catalan supported the new constitution. It was followed by The statute of Autonomy of Catalonia in 1979 and around 88% Catalan people supported it and it marginalized pro-independence political groups and national claims for following Years. In 1980’s some Catalan activists and intellectuals alleged that Spanish Government showing discrimination against Catalan Language and their culture. 

In 1982 at a time of Political Uncertainty in Spain  Ley Orgánica de Armonización del Proceso Autonómico(Organic Law of Harmonization of the Autonomic Process)
introduced but in reality the aim was to curb the Autonomy of Catalonia and Basque Region. This led to a mass Protest against LOAPA and the claiming of Independence
and Catalan Nationalism.

After 2000

In 2003 Election the moderate nationalist Convergència i Unió (CiU), which had governed Catalonia since 1980, lost power to a coalition of left-wing parties composed of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC), the pro-independence Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya(ERC) and a far-left/Green coalition (ICV-EUiA), headed by Pasqual Maragall. The government produced a draft for a new Statute of Autonomy, which was supported by the CiU and was approved by the parliament by a large majority The draft statute then had to be approved by the Spanish parliament, which could make changes; it did so, removing clauses on finance and the language, and an article stating that Catalonia was a nation When the amended statute was put to a referendum on 18 June 2006, the ERC, in protest, called for a "no" vote. The statute was approved, but turnout was only 48.9%.At the subsequent election, the left-wing coalition was returned to power, this time under the leadership of José Montilla.

The Partido Popular which had Opposed the statute in Spanish Parliament and challenged it’s constitutionality in Spanish high Court. The case was lasted for 4 years.in its judgement court rruled 14 articles from statute were unconstitutional and 27 other articles were interpreted in 18^th June 2010 and the full judgement released on 9^th July 2010. The unconstitutional articles included those that gave preference to the Catalan language, freed Catalonia from responsibility for the finances of other autonomous communities, and recognized Catalonia as a nation. During this day a mass demonstration took place at Capital city of Barcelona. But the nation united and never any nationalism in their world cup soccer matches same year. The tensions between Madrid and Catalonia suddenly reflected in La Liga el Classico matches.

During Kings Cup Final the Barcelona Fans Chanted National slogans against King Juan Carlos who was gathered there. Many times the rivalry between the Real Madrid and Barcelona Reflected and lead to violent during the el classico matches.

When Arthur Mas gained power in 2010 his CiU party declared that they will conduct a referendum for independence in next Legislature. He remained in Power in 2014 also. Mas and ERC leader Oriol Junqueras signed an agreement by which the ERC would support the CiU on sovereignty issues while on other matters it might oppose it. The two leaders drafted the Declaration of Sovereignty and of the Right to Decide of the Catalan People, which was adopted by the parliament at its first sitting in January 2013. The declaration stated that "the Catalan people have, for reasons of democratic legitimacy, the nature of a sovereign political and legal subject", and that the people had the right to decide their own political future. Spanish Government referred this to Spanish Constitutional court and they declared Sovereignty Declaration is unconstitutional. The Catalan People made a huge human chain from French border to the regional Border of Valencia. At the same time the Scottish referendum for independence escalated the Independence activities of Catalonia. In 2016 Arthur Mas was replaced by Carles Puigdemont and he omitted the loyalty to the Spanish King and Spanish Constitution during his oath. he was the first Catalan President to do so.

In late September 2016, Puigdemont told the parliament that a binding referendum on independence would be held in the second half of September 2017, with or without the consent of the Spanish institutions.Puigdemont announced in June 2017 that the referendum will conduct on October 1 . The Spanish Government declared that the Self Determination referendum is illegal because Spanish Constitution doesn’t allow for a vote for independence in their nations. The Government of Catalonia, though, maintained that the vote would still be held on 1 October. To avoid the Spanish government's influence, the Catalan government passed a referendum law through its own parliament, by simple majority, in September declaring that it would then follow a "Catalan-only" legality (as opposed to the general Spanish one). The referendum law was also suspended by the Constitutional Court of Spain. The Spanish Government Blocked and tried to Suppress the voting with Police Forces on the Day of Pole. Spanish Government officials seized the voting Ballots etc. but the Catalans voted for independence. Around 92% Voted for independence. Puigdemont declared that they will declare Catalonia as an independent Nation on Monday 9^th October.

If Catalonia became independent the Spain will Devastate financially because Spain has a huge debt in European Union Banks and the very next time the Country of Basque will follow Catalan way for their independence. Catalonian Independence will encourage some of other regions of European Countries like Sicily and Venice in Italy, Scotland in UK , Qubec in Canada etc. And sometimes we may lose the El Classico Matches. The Entire World has concentrating on Spain that Can Spain Recover this Dilemma. Many banks and Corporates are planning to change their headquarters from Catalonian Region especially from Barcelona due to this dilemma. Is Spain can lose their major GDP Contributor. Still wait for 9^th October 2017.