Catalonia 'Is Not Against Spain as Such, But Against Its Ruling Party'

© REUTERS / Albert GeaA woman walks past a crosswalk, painted in the form of an Estelada (Catalan pro-independence flag) in Arenys de Munt, north of Barcelona, Spain, September 26, 2017
A woman walks past a crosswalk, painted in the form of an Estelada (Catalan pro-independence flag) in Arenys de Munt, north of Barcelona, Spain, September 26, 2017 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
As Catalan’s landmark independence referendum draws nearer, taking place this Sunday, Sputnik has spoken to Catalan political scientist Jordi Pacheco i Canals to find out why the majority of Catalans do not perceive themselves as being part of Spain.

"There is no discontent over Spain as such in Catalonia. People are specifically against the ruling People's Party (Partido Popular, PP), which has been in power since 2011," Pacheco i Canals, President of the Official Association of Political Scientists and Sociologists of Catalonia, told Sputnik Mundo.

He explained that Spain’s ruling party has no electoral base in Catalonia, very few people in the region support it. Because of this, the party fails to react to the needs and demands of the residents’ therefore prompting resentment against the entire country.

The Welsh flag flies outside the national assembly building in Cardiff on September 24, 2015. - Sputnik International
Watch and Wonder: Independence Campaigners in Wales May Copy Catalan Vote
In this sense, the political scientist described the Catalan’s wish to gain independence as a direct consequence of dissatisfaction in Madrid’s attitude to the region.

"Madrid still has not understood that that the movement for autonomy is not an invention of the Catalan government, the Generalitat, but the will of people, who force it to respond," Pacheco said.

However, he continued, the central government prefers to believe that the Generalitat is the origin of the sovereign ideas and that could stop this movement by simply eradicating the regional government.

The more the Spanish government tries to prevent the vote, he elaborated, the more importance it acquires. If the number of "yes" votes reaches at least half of those who cast ballots at the last elections into the Catalan parliament (2,100,000 people), the referendum will become legitimate, he said. In the current situation it is of special importance, given that the referendum has no other guarantees.

Jordi Pacheco i Canals however did not rule out that in the remaining days the country's Civil Guard (la Guardia Civil, Spanish law enforcement agency) could arrest the President of Catalan Generalitat, Carles Puigdemont. The ability of Catalans to vote directly depends on the country's police forces, which have been deployed to the region.

Participants in the rally in the streets of Barcelona support the referendum for independence and Catalonia's secession from Spain, which is timed to National Day of Catalonia - Sputnik International
World
Russia Denies Allegations of Involvement in Catalan Referendum
Catalans are set to voice their opinion on the region's sovereignty on Sunday, October 1. Catalonia's campaign to break away from Spain has been building up steam since 2010, when the country's economy was badly damaged during the financial crisis.

The region already had a similar poll in November 2014. Then the residents were asked two questions: "Do you want Catalonia to become a State?" and "Do you want this State to be independent?" The second question could only be answered by those who had answered Yes to the first one.

80.8% of the cast votes then supported the Yes–Yes option. The voting, however, had no political consequences at the time.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала