Catalan politics

Why Catalonia, as a political entity, is a nation?

• DK is a “nation-state”? Or Jutland? (+ Feroe Islands or Greenland?). YES / NO....WHY?

– Language + institutions +...?

• Spain is a multinational state (“a nation of nations”+regions) = conflictive idea ►different nationalisms.

• The case of Catalonia:

1. Language – Culture – history = identity

1. Political institutions (self-government)

2. Political will = political culture + parties

Nation-building process

Political will (I): Political culture - the national axis

Source: Center for Opinion Studies

http://www.gencat.cat/economia/doc/doc_42470418_1.pdf

A consistent idea…

Evolution of the national identity in Catalonia 1984-2003

1984 1988 1992 1995 1999 2003

Only S 11 12 20 14 9 10

S>C 11 10 8 7 7 6

S=C 45 35 35 41 45 43

S<C 22 28 20 23 23 25

Only C 8 14 15 13 14 14DknowDanswer

3 1 2 2 2 2

A consistent idea, only in Catalonia? The effects of decentralization…

Source: Center for sociological research

Cuadro

Auto ubicación del electorado en el eje de identificación nacional.

Más español que de la ccaa

Tan español como de la ccaa

Más de la ccaa que español

Ns-Nc

País Vasco 11,5% 33,2% 45,8% 9,6%

Cataluña 15,9% 44,8% 37,7% 1,6%

Navarra 7,3% 42,6% 36,8% 13,4%

Canarias 4,4% 56,9% 36,5% 2,2%

Galicia 13,4% 60,6% 24,7% 1,3%

Baleares 17,4% 52,0% 23,8% 6,7%

Andalucía 12,6% 68,6% 16,0% 2,8%

Asturias 9,4% 68,8% 15,8% 6,1%

Aragón 12,6% 71,4% 13,2% 2,8%

La Rioja 14,5% 69,4% 11,2% 5,0%

Extremadura 7,4% 81,1% 10,3% 1,2%

Cantabria 16,8% 68,1% 9,6% 5,5%

Valencia 32,9% 55,9% 9,3% 1,9%

Murcia 27,2% 65,0% 4,9% 2,8%

Madrid 33,4% 51,9% 4,0% 10,7%

Castilla La Mancha

30,6% 63,6% 3,3% 2,6%

Castilla León 37,8% 54,8% 2,5% 4,9%

Why are nations?

Political will (II): Party system

Autonomous

Federated

with PSOE

Integrated

Parliamentary

Group

PSOE

Catalonia (and the Basque country) have its own party system)

Political institutions (II): Generalitat de Catalunya

Pres. José Montilla

7,6 M.

According to health system

Political institutions (III): a “decentralised” welfare state

Basic questions…1. Catalonia is a spanish autonomous community (17).2. It is a nationality (a nation without state), with a

high level of self-government.3. Catalan politics influence Spanish politics. The

role of nationalist parties in the Spanish Parliament = these parties are often needed for PSOE or PP to conform majorities.

• Their electorates don’t like these agreements = they consider that the spanish parliament is “hijacked” by periferical nationalisms.

• We are always in “negotiations” = catalans are selfish (our political mainstream = self-government EAC 2006) VS spanish political mainstream which is more centralist…

• A logic based on political power = more or less (de)centralisation = that’s politics of the State + 17 CCAA.

Conflicts and debates under discussion

1. The “level of political autonomy” or decentralisation = Statute of Autonomy

2. The “development” of autonomy =The financing system

• Immigration as the main question (more 1 milion people= 13/14% population with special needs in school, etc)

• Generalitat = expensive services when people grow, but fiscal resources remain constant = demography Vs economy

• Is that “nationalism”? No, but it is used by nationalist parties...

3. Looking for a multicultural state? • Don’t touch me...and I don’t touch you (useful).• Citizens have the right to choose school language = one

school in catalan / another in spanish? / viceversa = SEPARATISTS FROM SPAIN VS SEPARATISM IN CATALONIA

• The State has to promote more actively the minority languages? ►POLITICS OF RECOGNITION = more recognition from the State / less nationalism: WHY NOT?

Catalonia, Spain...Why Europe?

1. For us Europe = democracy and modernity

2. Stronger feeling than other countries (also in Spain), but...