Spain fears break-up as Catalonia votes

[Vanilluxe]

Secession makes the other EU states nervous because they have their own regions that could take it up. Bretony and Corsica in France, the Po region of Italy, Flanders in Belgium.

Don't forget South Tyrol of Italy where there are lots of Germans there who wants it to go to Austria and then there is Scotland where they are holding a referendum in 2014.

[Origanalist]

Secession makes the other EU states nervous because they have their own regions that could take it up. Bretony and Corsica in France, the Po region of Italy, Flanders in Belgium.

Of course, nothing will fuck up a good statists day like serious talk about Secession.

[Smart3]

There's an independence movement or autonomy movement or unification movement in every single European country. That's what happens when bloodshed/conquest determines the borders of countries rather than individual peoples.

and let's not forget the Kurds, Assyrians, southern Arabs of Iran, etc in the Middle East, or the hundreds of possible new African nations, or better yet - a free and independent QUEBEC!

[Vanilluxe]

There's an independence movement or autonomy movement or unification movement in every single European country. That's what happens when bloodshed/conquest determines the borders of countries rather than individual peoples.

and let's not forget the Kurds, Assyrians, southern Arabs of Iran, etc in the Middle East, or the hundreds of possible new African nations, or better yet - a free and independent QUEBEC!

My French professor supports independence for Quebec.

[angelatc]

...Catalonia would have to gain admission [to the EU], joining the queue of a list of new European nations seeking membership, and the process would likely be blocked by a vengeful Spain.

What the hell is wrong with people? "I want my small country to be run by a large group of other countries! Hurrah!"

(the queue of a list? Editor, puhleez!)

[Smart3]

What the hell is wrong with people? "I want my small country to be run by a large group of other countries! Hurrah!"

(the queue of a list? Editor, puhleez!)

Leaving the EU isn't part of any independence movement in Europe AFAIK. The independence parties actually are the most pro-EU parties, just look at the SNP in Scotland.

[Henry Rogue]

That's one way to shrink the size of government, shrink the size of the country. Keep dividing it up till it's the size of a county or smaller.

[Origanalist]

Have they stated that they wish to join the E U if successful?

[Acala]

Love it! A string of peaceful secessions around the globe, followed by an economic crisis in the US that hobbles Federal power, and we just "might" be able to split off a few free republics from the evil empire without a civil war.

[osan]

Go Catalonians!

This does, however, raise interesting questions.

Would a seceded Catalonia still be party to any agreements and treaties to which Spain is?

Will and independent Catalonia bear some proportion of Spain's national debt? If not, why not? If so, why, and more importantly, how much? How is it calculated?

Were I the Catalonians, I would tell Spain to take their debt and shove it. I would tell the world bankers to fuck off.n Dangerous, but that's never stopped me before.