Entrenched Catalonia: A Secessionist Venture Trapped on an Ethno-Political Draw

Abstract

A lengthily prepared secessionist attempt culminated, in Catalonia, on Autumn of 2017. A Declaration of Independence was approved by the Regional Parliament, the 27 th October, and followed by a suspension of the Autonomy Rule, dictated by Central Government, after due permission by Spanish Senate in accordance with the Constitution. This resulted in the destitution of the Regional Government and the dissolution of the Autonomous Parliament. The secessionist movement had demonstrated great force not only by mobilizing huge amounts of followers repeatedly but on elections and challenges perceived as victories against the State. A rise of influence, however, showed by unionist forces both at street demonstrations and on the last Regional election (21 th. Dec. 2017), has created a situation that appears as an entrenched draw, within a deeply divided society. I discuss here social and economic profiles that distinguish two big segments of Catalan citizenry, in relation to their options in favor of or against secession. Those profiles that can be traced to a recognizable ethno-cultural frontier based on family origins and habitual language may also contribute to enhance current tensions.

Secessionists vs. Unionists in Catalonia: Mood, Emotional Profiles and Beliefs about Secession Perspectives in Two Confronted Communities

“…The lack of a clear social majority behind the secessionist attempt opened apprehensions that had been tampered for decades. Close neighbours, colleagues, acquaintances and even friends and families who had shared feelings of belonging to both Catalonia and Spain (in different degrees), as an essential part of their political values, are now deeply divided on the issue of secession and must endure living and working together amid a continuous and unresolved tension that contaminates many aspects of social life (Alvarez, 2018;Amat, 2017;Bertomeus, 2018a;Coll et al, 2018;Luque, 2018;Morel, 2018;Elliot, 2018;Tobeña, 2018).…”

“…Familial origin and income levels were inter-correlated: monthly incomes were much higher in native Catalans than in citizens from other Spanish regions or from abroad (Llaneras, 2017). Psychology All these findings highlighted the existence a compounded social cleavage between two neighboring communities that has probably worked as the main breaking line for the deep political fracture created by the forceful secessionist movement (Tobeña, 2017b(Tobeña, , 2018. The divide has not arrived at the threshold of an open violent conflict, though tensions were high during autumn of 2017 and they still subsist, though attenuated, while the political situation remains on an apparently unsolvable standstill.…”

Minority‐ versus Majority‐Status Group Intentions to Transgress the Law When Oppression Is Perceived

“…Thus, the conflict over Catalonia's independence has created a sharp political division (Oller, Satorra, & Tobeña, 2019;Tobeña, 2018). It is characterized by an entrenched and tense political stalemate within a fractured society, in which two sharply polarized positions, favoring and opposing secession, are confronted (Tobeña, 2018). Accordingly, there is an identity division based mostly on ethnolinguistic characteristics (Miley, 2007(Miley, , 2013.…”

Rescuing national unity with imagination: The case of Tabarnia

“…Besides the discontent of some native Catalans, old issues started to re‐emerge, such as the status of the immigrant population in Catalonia and the role of the Castilian language. The immigrant population that moved from other parts of Spain, along with the more recent Latin‐American migrants (Tobeña, 2018, p. 463), is the least enthusiastic about secession. This opened an ethnic front in the project of independence and challenged the process of ethnic assimilation (Aramburu, 2020).…”