What now for Catalonia?

The Catalan government has decided to scrap next month’s planned referendum on independence

Spain’s want-away autonomous region of Catalonia has cancelled its planned independence referendum in November after the Spanish high court in Madrid stood firm in its refusal to recognise the process…

After months of campaigning to press ahead with its own vote on independence, the Catalonian government last month set a date of November 9 for a referendum to allow Catalans to decide its future.

However, fierce opposition from Madrid meant that any such vote would have had no legal standing in Spain, and after a few days of consultation the regional government of Catalonia has decided to scrap the vote.

But this does not mean that Catalonia is now meekly willing to accept the status quo. More than 40,000 Catalans marched proudly through the streets of Barcelona in September in support of the Yes vote, and with such an upswell of support behind it, Catalonia’s very own ‘Yes campaign’ is set to announce a series of alternative strategies.

The leader of Catalonia’s nationalist government Artur Mas had previously stated that he will respect the laws and decisions of the national government.

However, many of Mas’s own supporters and allies have urged him to defy Madrid and press ahead regardless with a referendum that may not have any legal standing, but could show the world once and for all just where most Catalans stand on the issue of their independence. In fact, Mas announced on Tuesday that the regional government will hold an unofficial poll on November 9, in an effort to gauge public opinion.

Catalonia has been fighting for independence from Spain for many decades. Its population is similar to that of Portugal’s (7.5 million), meaning the region accounts for 16 per cent of the Spanish population. Its strong economy performs better than the national average (generating 20 per cent of Spain’s GDP), as does its biggest city’s famous football team, prompting many to believe that Catalonia could prosper even more were it permitted to go alone.

With its own language and a ready-made, world-class capital city in the form of Barcelona, Catalonia certainly has the potential to thrive as an independent state.

Yet despite unwavering pride among its people, a recent poll showed that only 23 per cent of Catalans wanted the regional government to go ahead with the referendum after they learned it would not be legally recognised. A further 45 per cent believed that Catalonia should comply with Madrid’s constitutional court – something that has now happened – after watching in envy last month at how Scotland was granted the legal right to determine its own independence.

Even though the Scots ultimately voted No, the very fact they were given the chance to choose was applauded by most Catalans. The hope is that Madrid cedes a similar vote, and the feeling is that in order for that to happen, Catalonia should play by the rules.