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posted by takyon on Friday October 27 2017, @11:15PM   Printer-friendly
from the freedonia dept.

This afternoon, Catalonia declared independence. At the same time, Spain invoked article 155, to strip Catalonia from its governing powers putting it under direct rule from the federal government. A vote for independence was raised in Catalonian parliament, with part of parliament leaving before the vote on independence started. The motion declaring independence was approved with 70 in favor, 10 against, and two abstentions of the normal 135 total.

From RT: https://www.rt.com/news/407956-catalan-parliament-votes-independence/
From Aljazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/catalan-parliament-begins-vote-independence-171027115908493.html
From BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41780116

It will be interesting to see how things unfold. In my opinion, Madrid using violence to stop a referendum gave it the legality they later claim the referendum didn't have. The lack of dialogue paved the way into the only possible outcome, Catalonia declaring independence and Madrid denying it. Whatever happens next, I hope will be peaceful. As to how the EU reacts, I'm hoping they ask for an official referendum, and whatever the outcome, pledges that both Catalonia and Spain will be able to remain in the EU if they desire. That may release tensions a bit.


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  • (Score: 2) by rleigh on Saturday October 28 2017, @09:22AM

    by rleigh (4887) on Saturday October 28 2017, @09:22AM (#588619) Homepage

    The prospective loss of national identity, sovereignty etc. isn't something that many people would find desirable or acceptable. We don't want to lose our nations, and we have zero love of or loyalty to the EU, unlike our own countries. That's one of the main reasons I voted to leave in the British referendum last year. When you blithely say nations "need to lose their national character", I think you need to look long and hard at the implications of that, and think about whose goals your are furthering by doing do; it's not in the interests of the actual people who live in those nations, you're taking away what makes them them, and what they are proud of. The long terms goals of the EU with a federal army etc. are not benign or democratic; do you really want to live under the jackboots of people who want to further their interests at your expense?

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