Politicians in both Madrid and Barcelona are using history as a source of rancor. Spanish nationalists argue that Catalonia was always part of Spain. At the same time, Catalans trace their independent identity back to the 13th century and say they have a right to express their will. Spain\u2019s 1978 constitution doesn\u2019t allow any region to vote alone on independence: Either all of Spain votes on the Catalan question, or no one does. Spain\u2019s Socialist Party, which draws considerable support from Catalonia in Parliament, is proposing a wide-ranging reform of the constitution to clear the way for a negotiated setlement.\u00a0 Many Catalans say it\u2019s too late for that now.<\/p>\n
Catalonia won back control of its health, education and language policies after Franco\u2019s death in 1975, although it didn\u2019t get the tax-raising power awarded to Spain\u2019s Basque Country, where terror group ETA has killed more than 800 people during its own four-decade campaign for independence. Catalonia\u2019s powers were extended with a 2006 law that included references to the region as a separate \u201cnation\u201d and guaranteed the region\u2019s share of public investment. When large parts of that law were struck down in 2010, many Catalans decided their future lay outside of Spain and support for independence surged. Catalonia\u2019s ballot would have come less than two months after Scotland voted to remain part of the U.K., though that referendum was sanctioned by the British government. The votes are emboldening from places like Flanders and Venice, where smaller nationalist groups aspire to dismantle European states forged in the 18th and 19th centuries.<\/p>\n
Politicians in both Madrid and Barcelona are using history as a source of rancor. Spanish nationalists argue that Catalonia was always part of Spain. At the same time, Catalans trace their independent identity back to the 13th century and say … Continue reading ![\"Catalonian](\"http:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Catalonian-Independence-300x142.jpg\")
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