Last weekend, thousands of Catalans demonstrated in Brussels, demanding the right to hold a referendum to determine whether Catalonia should be independent of Spain. Holding such a referendum would currently be illegal under Spain’s constitution.
I imagine that practically everyone who took part in the protest actually supports independence. But this poll addresses the aim of the Plataforma pel Dret de Decidir (Platform for the Right to Decide), namely: should Catalonia be allowed to hold a referendum on independence? (N.B. the question is not “independence, yes or no?” but “referendum, yes or no?”).
Results:
Should Catalonia be allowed to hold a referendum on independence?
- Yes (92.0%, 48 Votes)
- No (6.0%, 3 Votes)
- Don’t know/Find it difficult to form opinions (2.0%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 52
The Spanish state does not allow referendums on sovereignty in the Basque Country under the pretext of terrorism there. In Catalonia no terrorism, and a town wants to ask their citizens if they want independence. In this case Spain may not use terrorism as an excuse, and directly attacks democracy. Need immediate intervention of the United Nations to guarantee the human right of self-determination of peoples.
I agree with Xavi, freedom to express ones opinions is a basic human right that no government should be allowed to deny its people. The Catalans have every right to ask for their independence. They are not Spanish, they never have been, and they never will be. I think they should have earned the respect of the UN for the fact that they have never resorted to violence, despite the continual attempts by the government in Madrid to surpress their language and culture.
Any referendum for independence in any part of Spain should be taken by the whole of Spain otherwise it means a country can fragment ad infinitum until the country in a huge mass tiny states if each tiny state is allowed a vote on independence.
M.Harrison.
With respect to Mr Harrison, I feel his opinion is somewhat naïve, and rather misses the point. The Catalans have been striving for independence now for many years. Historically, since 1714 (sept 11th) to be exact, when they lost a war against Spain which cost them the freedom they had at the time. They were once a strong and proud nation and simply want to be recognised as such once again.
If the whole country was involved, then the referendum would be pointless. The idea is for the Catalans to have an opportunity to express their desire to be recognised as a nation in their own right, not to prove, what they already know, that the government of Spain does not accept this.
They are only having to do this, because the Spanish government constantly refuses to recognise their language and culture. They were virtually outlawed under the Franco regime, and things have hardly improved since the return to so called democratic government. Their language is still not officially recognised, and there are currently moves by a group of so- called intellectuals to ban its use in the media, depriving the Catalans of their own television and radio channels, and forcing newspapers etc. to be published in Castillion. The Catalans now feel that the only way forward, is to break free from Spain.
If the Spanish government were truly democratic, they would revel in the wealth of diversity of cultures within their country, rather than trying to destroy them. Yes, there are many other regions in Spain who would also like to be free from the restraints place upon them – the Basques, Gallecians, Asturians etc. If Spain is broken into a series of smaller nations, would this be such a bad thing? Surely everyone has the right to live in a land where their culture is recognised and respected? This is all the Catalans are asking for.
Good luck to them!
Ítaca