From MISH'S Global Economic Trend Analysis http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/11/constitutional-crisis-in-spain-pro.html Spain takes a giant step towards a full-blown constitutional crisis as Catalans overwhelmingly elect candidates promising a break-up vote. Catalonia has delivered a sweeping mandate to political parties pledging to hold a referendum on independence in elections that place the northern Spanish region on a collision course with Madrid. In a vote billed as âthe most decisive elections in the history of Cataloniaâ by Artur Mas, the regionâs president, pro-referendum parties won 87 of the Catalan parliamentâs 135 seats. Following weeks of intense debate about Cataloniaâs future relationship with Spain, turnout was 69.5 per cent, the highest for a Catalan regional election in nearly 30 years. The vote comes amid pressure from various regions around Europe for more independence, including proposals for a referendum on the issue in Scotland in 2014. Spainâs central government has said any move to push ahead with a referendum on independence for Catalonia, which has an economy the size of Portugalâs and makes up about a fifth of Spanish output, would be illegal and against the Spanish constitution. Catalonia has built up a debt pile of â¬42bn, the largest of all of Spainâs 17 regions, and is currently locked out of international capital markets. Earlier this year the region was forced to request an emergency â¬5bn credit line from Spainâs central government to avoid defaulting on payments. Messy Politics The ruling (Center-Right) Convergència i Unió party which favors a referendum actually lost 12 seats in the election, from 62 to 50. However, it lost those seats to more radical pro-independence groups. Artur Mas, leader of Convergència promised a referendum but will have to align with even more radical groups to produce one according to CNN. Judging from the election, I suspect the percentage who would vote for independence is much higher. A showdown with Madrid looms. -------- Tired of debt and unemployment by socialist politicians, the Catatonians revolt. Good on them.
If Spain has a King, the King has to take control. The only way to save Spain and other socialist countries and PIIGS is to bring back the free markets. Rioters like those in Greece have to be jailed.
Ah yes, jailing all the people who riot because they're starving in the streets and cannot pay for their homes...yes, that'll teach 'em. Go after all those traitors who are against bailout out banks and subverting Greek national sovereignty. Never mind that pesky aspect on how the cops are now rioting because of cuts as well. Don't mean to question orders, General, but who should we use to round up the cops?
Man I am a GENIUS. I knew YOU would find this and post it. Okay, now for the convo. Catalina will be crushed. It will not be Madrid who crushes this little rebellion. It will be Berlin. The public sentiment cools considerably if Catalan declares independence with the reward of expulsion from the EU. That is how they are playing this.
I think the people know exactly that independence means they are not EU members. The choice to split from Spain is seconded only from their choice to split from the clutches of the EU.
According to polling ( granted they are not run by Nate Silver), the Catalinians are not so keen on independence if it means life outside of the EU. I heard this story on BBC just this morning. They want to leave Spain, but not if the EU decides to expel them for it.