Since the topic of Catalonian independence came up at our orientation, I thought it might be a good idea to collect some facts about it and a timeline here.
I work with a program provider based in Bareclona, and they helpfully sent along an overview of the situation. Here’s what they have to say:
Basic geography: What are Spain and Catalonia? Spain is the country and Catalonia (or Catalunya) is the region… kind of like a state. So in the same way that you can be in Texas and in the US, you will be in Catalonia and in Spain. Inside of Catalonia there are 4 smaller regions (like counties).
Many people in Catalonia want their region to become its own country. However, according to the Spanish constitution that was created in the 1970’s after Spain’s dictator died, no autonomous region is allowed to break away from the rest of Spain. However, those in Catalonia who are pro independence would like to hold a referendum to see if the people of the region would prefer to separate from the country. That is what they tried to do on October 1, but the president of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, claimed the vote would be illegal and used police force to try to stop it from taking place. Despite those efforts, according to Catalan sources, approximately 2.2 million people voted (45% of the population) and 90% voted “yes” in favor of independence. The regional government has used these numbers to try to declare independence, but the central government isn’t having it.
For now, there are people holding protests on both sides of the debate. The news often shows the most graphic parts of the protests (such as police forcing people from voting stations on October 1st), and there were some strikes as people protested the central government’s use of violence, but the situation within the region has been quite stable.
You can also read more about the Catalan language, what makes Catalan culture different, and Catalans you may know of. For a sports angle, you can read about the role that FC Barcelona, the primary Catalan soccer football club, has played in the independence movement.