On Sunday October 1st, the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia held an independence referendum to declare itself a separate entity from the Spanish state.
The motivation for the referendum seems to stem from Catalonian disagreement over taxation with the national government in Madrid. Catalonia is one of the wealthiest regions in Spain, and holds that its taxation rates are too high, largely subsidizing Spanish spending elsewhere. The region also holds a distinct language and culture, similar but in many ways, separate from Spanish culture as a whole.
The vote, which was declared illegal by Madrid, was the scene of numerous violent confrontations between pro-independence voters and national police officers. Dispatched by Madrid to halt the referendum, the police officers seized numerous ballot boxes and closed more than 1,300 polling stations.
Of the 2.2 million voters who took part in the referendum, nearly 90% voted in favor of independence. Anti-independence voters were likely kept at bay by the illegality of the referendum, as well as the violence that took place at the polls. Approximately 800 people were injured in the crackdown.
The entire event has put an enormous strain on the Spanish government. The head of the regional government in Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, has strongly backed the independence movement, deeming the October 1st vote fair and legitimate. Puigdemont has threatened to issue a formal declaration of independence as early as this coming week.
However, in a show of unity, a large crowd brandishing Spanish flags gathered in the center of Barcelona (the capital of Catalonia) this past Sunday, showing support for remaining a part of Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has also considered taking the dramatic action of suspending Catalonia’s autonomous status, though what direct real effects that would have for the region remain unclear.
In all, the issue here stems from the complication by the involvement of national police in the referendum. Though there was a declared 90% “Yes” vote, police actions to prevent citizens from voting meant that there were many irregularities across Catalonia. Instances of voter fraud were reported in numerous locations across Barcelona and elsewhere.
Though I would prefer to see a unified Spain as opposed to a divided one, I don’t think the intensity of this movement can be ignored. People should have a right to decide how they would be governed, for better or for ill. The crux of the issue is that we do not know whether 90% of Catalonians truly want independence because those who would’ve voted “No” were not given a legal means to do so. Instead their voice was the voice of brutal retaliation, and it has not boded well, neither within Catalonia, nor around the world.
Though there are some issues that likely warrant the kind of violent action seen in Catalonia, unequal taxation is one that needs to be placed on the stage of diplomacy first and foremost. If a solution can not be reached from that point, let an independence referendum be held. If a “Yes” vote is successful, it will have wide-reaching implications, correct. But it will also be the most democratic and straightforward way to solve a problem that has caused real harm.
