Well, in little over a week's time the people of Cataluña will be voting on whether they would like to become Independent from Spain. Except in true Spanish style it is nowhere as straighforward as that. The government in Madrid says that no vote will happen, that it is illegal and unconstitutional, and have ramped up efforts in recent days to ensure no referendum will take place on October 1st. Multiple people have been arrested for campaigning for independence or distributing ballot materials, as well as a Journalist who was charged for aiding preparations for the vote. The Guardia Civil is also now occupying Government buildings in Barcelona in an attempt to take control and to prevent the referendum from going ahead.
Not only is there disharmony coming from Madrid but also from within Cataluña itself. Of 900 mayors only 700 have agreed to the vote, meaning that if the vote does go ahead then a large number of constituents won't be able to take part. By no means would any vote be a landslide; a recent survey suggested 49 percent intended to vote against Independence while 41 percent were in favour. In 2014 however there was a different attempt to hold a vote, this one actually went ahead and 80 percent of those who voted were pro-independence. This vote was advisory only having also been declared illegal when originally announced.
Many on the pro-Independence side seem driven partially by economics; Cataluña is the richest of the regions of Spain and it contributes enormously to the country, but they feel they don't see enough coming back in. Still reeling from the crisis and with massive youth unemployment the idea of Independence seems to have energised the region. Primarily however it very much looks like a notion based on an emotional feeling; that they are Catalan and not Spanish, that they should be able to rule themselves. They feel that the repeated attempts to block any vote are undemocratic and the arrests and use of police to quash the movement is remeniscent of Franco-era Spain.
Those against Independence agree that the vote is an emotional rather than a logical one. However, they see this emotion as being one of superiority to the rest of the country and have grown sick of the noises coming from the region. They also argue that with the way the world is at the moment, togetherness is key and that we shouldn't seek to divide ourselves even more. The few people i've spoken to here in Madrid feel that it is an unwanted circus, illegal and unconstitutional. There is a feeling that people in Barcelona will use anything to make a political point, citing the use of Catalan flags after the terrorist attacks in Barcelona a month ago.
This is only a very basic overview, I don't have the knowledge to delve deeper but it goes without saying that this is an awfully complicated and layered debate. Nobody seems to know what will happen come October 1st, but it is going to have huge implications for Spain and for Cataluña. I check the BBC a lot while i'm here and it never ceases to amaze me how little coverage they give to fellow European countries. Donald Trump could break wind and get the main headline plus 3 other major articles, but all these major events going on right on our doorstep rarely get more than a peep.
From my point of view, this particular vote shouldn't go ahead. Both sides need to sit down and make sure that a referendum happens but that it happens in the right circumstances. I would prefer to see Cataluña remain as part of Spain but I also believe that they should be given the chance to vote on it. Those campaigning for the vote to go ahead say that if they are promised a referendum which is legal in the eyes of the Government then they will scrap it. But if the Madrid governement refuses to budge, which seems to be the case, what more can they do? Either way, expect an extremely turbulant week ahead and an almighty backlash whatever should happen after October 1st.