MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Spain’s rich Catalonia region calls snap election demanding “self determination”
The region of Catalonia announced on Tuesday it was calling a snap election over its drive for greater independence, deepening Spain’s crisis as its government struggles to avoid a full-blown bailout. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesNo, no, you see the people there are a supplanted population from the Celtic tribes and are therefore not allowed self determination, they usurped the lands from the original hill dwellers and have to give it back. Right, Argentina?
Sep 26th, 2012 - 08:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0Well, if Catalans have the right to self determination, then so do the falkland islanders and so does gibralter.
Sep 26th, 2012 - 08:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0What about the territorial integrity of Spain? This one is very difficult but the overriding issue is that Catalonia is a rich region of Spain and they don't like to share.
Sep 26th, 2012 - 09:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Comment removed by the editor.
Sep 26th, 2012 - 10:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0*3 well they are going to have to share as Spain is in no mood for independence from these nut crackers..
Sep 26th, 2012 - 11:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0@3 - Idlehands
Sep 26th, 2012 - 12:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Self-determination trumps territorial integrity.
It all started with the break up of the Soviet Union. Kosovo can also be cited as setting a Precedent regarding this issue, when they voted to seperate from Serbia.
So Catalonia could get self-determination, if enough of the population voted for it.
Whether it's a good idea or not, well that's up to the Catalonians to decide, isn't it?
@3 - aussie
Are you suggesting that the Spanish send in troops to oppress the local population? Especially after they've held free and fair referendum on their future status?
When Serbia did that, they got a spanking from the UN.
You know a country is fooked if it can win the European cup, the World cup and the European cup again, back to back and still not feel like one nation.
Sep 26th, 2012 - 01:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 06 LEPRecon
Sep 26th, 2012 - 02:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That's not entirely true or set in stone. See section 2.2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination#Self-determination_versus_territorial_integrity
The last couple of sentences are rather interesting.
@8 - Idlehands
Sep 26th, 2012 - 02:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Very interesting indeed. LOL
*6 They already have self determination. Now they want total independence . To do so it needs to be voted in The Spanish Parliament which would be voted against as it already happened in the 90s with the Basque Region. There is no need for troops Spain it has a well written constitution. The Catalans have more privileges than The SCOTS/WELSH put together.
Sep 27th, 2012 - 11:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0@10 Difficult as Catalonia originally came under the control of the Franks. Spain was formed from the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile and Leon. Catalonia appears to have been “conquered”. Therefore, its normal progression was interfered with by colonialism. You put the faults of your case so well. “The Catalans have more privileges” The self-determination of a people is a right, not a privilege. And certainly not a “privilege” granted by a colonialist Spain. Catalonia is an autonomous community. It has its own language - Catalan. And if they want independence, this should be voted on by Spaniards? No way! If they want independence, they should have it. But let's notice a pointed difference. A brainless nutjob in Scotland says his country wants independence. Britain agrees that the people of Scotland can have a referendum on whether they become independent or remain part of the UK. Democratic, honest, open. Argieland wants to colonise the Falkland Islands. Do the Falkland Islanders get a say? Not according to the argies. Spain wants to colonise Gibraltar. Do the Gibraltarians get a say? Not according to the spaniards. Catalonia wants to be independent. Do the Catalans get a say? They are having their say. But, according to you, what they decide can be overturned by colonialist Spaniards in Madrid. And so argies and spaniards are shown for what they are. Greedy, colonialist imperialists. Amazingly, they have another similarity. They are broke!
Sep 27th, 2012 - 12:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Also fighting for their independence Scotland and Wales colonialism and imperialism in England. Ireland is struggling to recover part of its territory usurped by England Northern Ireland.
Sep 27th, 2012 - 04:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@Raul.
Sep 27th, 2012 - 05:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The “usurpers” in Ireland were mostly Scottish settlers, not English.
Ironic when you think the “Scots” came from Ireland in pre-Roman times.
@
Going on a tangent: I think the Brits should move their parliament to a geographically central point, like the Isle of Man, equidistant from the four nations and renegotiate a new union that includes Ireland; maintain a lower house that represents each constituency and reform the Lords to equally represent the 4 nations.
The result would be a much larger, more powerful UK.
Good idea? Anyone?
*11If they want a referendum it should be voted by all spaniards not only catalans.I do not think Cameron is going to give The Scotts independence on a plate. We do not neet small states in Europe what we need we already have.
Sep 28th, 2012 - 12:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0This is why I don't like petty nationalism, it seems the Catalans want out to leave the poorer parts of Spain, ie all of the rest of Spain, poorer still!
Oct 03rd, 2012 - 01:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0#13 “renegotiate a new union that includes Ireland”
Not going to happen. Irish re-unification, yes its a possibility, but not under Britain...
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