2014 is a crucial year for separatist groups in Europe. A referendum on autonomy of Scotland is scheduled for September. Catalonia’s government is planning to hold the same thing for November, but it will meet with a fierce opposition from Madrid. Belgian federal elections are scheduled to be held in May , giving Flemish separatists a chance to voice their opinions, creating a political crisis likely. The blog series “Separatism in Europe The blog series will include four blog posts that will examine the various ideas economic, political and social aspects of separatist movements within Europe.
The characteristics of separatist movements
With respect to the timetable mentioned above and the debate that has been heated, a number of experts have examined the issue of separatism. Carles Boix and JC Major in the book the book Politique Etrangere 2013/14, examine Catalan separatism as a result of the struggle for independence that began with 1714 when it was lost, not just as an “revolte of the fiscal system as a partie of a region that is rich and facing economic crisis”. They claim that a large portion in the anti-independence sentiment comes from Catalan discontent with Madrid’s constant attempts to overrule the various rights that have been granted to Catalonia in the years since 1978.
The latest issue in the magazine Ethnopolitics 2013 is a focus on the Catalan secession movement . It includes six articles that each examines an aspect of the movement in a different way. The issue includes, among other things, an assessment by Montserrat Guibernau, who classifies the struggle to be independent from an academic point of view and examines the constitutional limitations and Spanish opposition to the movement. The issue is further analyzed in the work of Ivan Serrano who scrutinizes in his article Regional & Federal Studies 2013 the root reasons and motives behind Catalan separatism. Additionally, the issue contains Edurne Bartolome Peral’s essay, which examines the effects on the aftermath of the cease-fire during the Basque conflict on subnational identities in Catalonia as well as in Catalonia as well in the Basque country.
Boonen and Hooghe’s analysis of empirical data in the quarterly Nations and Nationalism 2013, Present Flemish separatism and classifies it as a bottom-up phenomenon that sees voters who already have a distinct subnational identity choose separatist political parties, rather than elites of separatists cueing people to vote and disseminating separatist views. Patterson and co. In Regional & Federal Studies 2014,emphasise the importance of language on acceptance of Scottish independence and independence, which is not generally recognized as one of the key significant causes for the Scottish independence.
From sources about the institution aspect There are an institution called the Institut d’estudis autonomics, created in 1984 by the Catalan government to conduct research and encourage research in the area of territorial organization , and provide guidance in self-governance matters. In addition, the Scottish government has launched an online website and blog to provide citizens with information about all matters related to the independence referendum.
