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The region of Catalonia lies in northeastern Spain and is home to the famous city of Barcelona. The region has not always lived in harmony with the rest of the country, with its fight for independence dating back to the 1600s.
The 1640-1652 War of the Reapers saw a Catalan uprising against the Spanish monarchy, which, for a time, meant an independent Principality of Catalonia. But this dream didn’t last long, with the monarchy fighting back and re-claiming the region in 1652. The 11th of September 1714 marked the ultimate surrender of Barcelona to the centralist and authoritarian monarchy of Felipe V, which meant the autonomous political institutions were dissolved and the Catalan language was forbidden.
More recent memories of Catalonia saw their oppression under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco from 1936-1975. During these years, Catalans were deprived of political rights, their language was persecuted, and their culture annihilated. However, following Franco’s death in 1975, the Catalan regional government was restored and the region began to re-establish itself. With the historical oppression of Catalonia in mind, it is surprising to realise that most Spaniards today are unaware that the recognition of the Catalan government predates the Spanish constitution.
But why do Catalans desire independence from Spain? Firstly, Catalans are known to be very traditional and culturally rich people, leading them to believe that they have everything they need to be a separate country – their own language, culture, and over 800 years of history. With part of this history seeing Catalonia as independent, the renewed Catalan hope for independence is less than surprising.
Another reason Catalans desire independence relates to the Spanish political system. Spain is a Parliamentary Monarchy, where Catalonia has always strived for a republic with a decentralised system. Moreover, the current King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, was the successor of Francisco Franco and so naturally had close ties to the former leader of Spain. Franco being an immensely unpopular figure throughout Catalonia, therefore, does not put the current King in a favourable position. Moreover, economically, Catalans feel the Spanish fiscal system is halting their development, with high tax rates and low returns doing little to develop their economy. Without Spain, Catalans see a much more prosperous future where they could retain their wealth and re-invest wisely.
October 1st, 2017, is an incredibly significant date in Catalonia’s timeline whereby an independence referendum was held with the simple question of: do you want Catalonia to be an independent country in the form of a republic? Spain’s constitutional court declared the referendum illegal the day before, but Catalan independence leaders pushed ahead with the vote anyway. 90.18% of people voted for independence and scenes of jubilation at polling stations ensued. Violence between Catalan’s and Spanish police did occur with many being injured. Whilst the referendum sent a strong message, it ultimately did not achieve its goal, both due to its illegality and relatively low turnout.
Several years on, Catalonia’s independence movement is nowhere near as strong. Disputes amongst pro-independence leaders over responsibility for the movement’s failure has caused division, as has disagreement over the future strategy of the movement. In 2022, a CEO poll showed support for secession in Catalonia was down to 40.9%, dramatically lower than the years prior. In many respects, the COVID-19 pandemic led people to worry about a variety of things, and as such the issue of independence seemed to fall by the wayside.
History and passion will ensure the continual desire for Catalonia’s independence, but for the time being, independence leaders need to unify and agree a forward-thinking strategy on how to achieve their most desired goal.
Image: Sasha Popovic ‘Aftermath of the Catalonian Independence Referendum‘, 2017// CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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