V for Victoria: Catalans Want Independence Too

[unhappycamper]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/catalonia-seeks-independence-referendum-despite-madrid-rejection-a-990632.html



Catalonia wants to join Scotland in holding an independence referendum. But the Spanish constitution doesn't allow for secession. Nationalists in Barcelona are prepared to push the vote through anyway.

V for Victoria: Catalans Want Independence Too
By Helene Zuber
September 10, 2014 – 11:04 AM

There are two questions that could secure a prominent place in the history books for Oriol Junqueras. The first is: "Do you want Catalonia to be its own state?" The second: "Do you want that state to be independent?" Junqueras, a 45-year-old historian from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, is the man behind the referendum that could result in independence for Catalonia.

~snip~

Secession Impossible

This year, pro-independence activists hope the demonstration will be even more impressive. Some 2 million marchers, all clad in the red and yellow of Catalonia, are to form a gigantic "V" on Barcelona's two largest boulevards. "V" in this case stands for Vote, for Voluntat (Will) or for Victoria (Victory). Smaller Vs have already made an appearance in demonstrations held in places such as Frankfurt, Brussels and Paris.

One week after the Catalan holiday, Scottish residents are set to vote in their own independence referendum. That poll has been accompanied by significant handwringing in London and Britain's three largest parties have done their best to convince Scots to remain a part of the United Kingdom, even announcing on Monday that they would release a new plan for greater Scottish autonomy this week. But Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has thus far failed to come up with an attractive offer for the Catalans.

The government in Madrid likely believes that such an offer is unnecessary. The Spanish constitution makes it virtually impossible for a region to split off from the country. A binding referendum could only be made possible were the Spanish parliament to push through a constitutional amendment. But 86 percent of the lawmakers in Madrid have already rejected the idea. A similar plan by the Basque government was rejected nine years ago. "I will not allow you to hold the referendum," Prime Minister Rajoy recently told Catalan leader Mas.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Devoid of EU membership.

For which both at least Italy & Spain would reject an application.