Opinió
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L'Espanya subsidiada i la casta depredadora
Eugeni Casanova
06.09.2013
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El deure de decidir
Josep Rull
05.09.2013
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Via a la independència. La Sénia no és frontera
Alfons López Tena
05.09.2013
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'Els qui vivim fora també hem d'empènyer'
Joel Mestres
03.09.2013
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El consell valencià, la Via Catalana i la prohibició del pacifisme
Ferran Suay
02.09.2013
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Estudiar el català a la Universitat de Perpinyà
Alà Baylac Ferrer
30.08.2013
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I a nosaltres, què ens convé?
Marta Serra
29.08.2013
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A França li convé un estat català
Eugeni Casanova
27.08.2013
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'Catalano? Non ci risulta'
Pau Vidal
22.08.2013
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No tot s'hi val
Manel Clavijo
21.08.2013
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Els nens 'desemparats'
Tina Vallès
20.08.2013
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Shawn Renee Lent: Esperàvem que no succeís
Shawn Renee Lent
17.08.2013
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Shawn Renee Lent: Esperàvem que no succeís
Shawn Renee Lent
17.08.2013
Liz Castro
07.03.2014
It's not the F-word, or identity politics, that's the problem, it's the BS
David Gardner's article in the Financial Times this morning gives a good background for the secessionist movement in Catalonia, and suggests federalism is a possible answer, despite the reticence of the Spanish (and British) governments. He writes, 'The eventual answer to this problem does not have to be either separatism or unionism (monarchy is a secondary issue). It could as well be a creative form of federalism, even though federalism as a word, let alone a formula, sends semantic shivers up the political spine of both countries.'
Gardner describes a 'curious reluctance' to discuss federalism, even as he describes the seismic event that has triggered the surge in Catalan pro-independence: the Spanish Constitutional Court's evisceration of the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, passed in a popular referendum and in both the Catalan and Spanish parliaments. The Statute of Autonomy was Catalonia's best effort at federalism and the Spanish government spit in its face.
But Gardner gets it wrong when he says 'identity politics… catches anyone suggesting federal solutions in its crossfire'. It is not identity politics that has undermined federalism's credibility, but the clear lack of traction that any pro-federalist proposals get in Spain. We have heard multiple times how PSC (Catalan Socialist Party) is negotiating a federalist option with their PSOE counterparts in Madrid that will serve the 'special needs' of Catalonia, only to have the PSOE leadership debunk those assertions within hours. Or PSOE promises a nebulous federalist reform of the Constitution which it knows it could never get through Congress. PSC's implosion—as dissenters speak up and desert the party almost daily—is not due to a conflict about Catalanism, but to the PSC's obvious and growing impotence.
That no one is considering real federalism in Spain is a question of wanting to hold onto the reins of power and the economic benefits thereof. That no one is considering real federalism in Catalonia is because they are tired of talk of unicorns and rainbows.
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Liz Castro is coordinator of VilaWeb's English edition.
Editorial
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La manera de guanyar importa
Vicent Partal
27.07.2015
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La fi de Pujol i la fi de la Catalunya autònoma
Vicent Partal
25.07.2015
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7 contra 155?
Vicent Partal
24.07.2015
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El 155 o l'evidència de la desesperació
Vicent Partal
23.07.2015
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Rajoy i els conceptes més elementals
Vicent Partal
22.07.2015
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Anem a totes
Vicent Partal
21.07.2015
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Ciutadans contra el(s) valencià(ns)
Vicent Partal
20.07.2015
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Contra la revolució
Vicent Partal
17.07.2015
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Les tres explicacions que no entendran mai
Vicent Partal
16.07.2015
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Setanta-cinc dies per a treballar tots com bojos
Vicent Partal
15.07.2015
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Bones vibracions…
Vicent Partal
14.07.2015
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Turbulències, també a Podem
Vicent Partal
13.07.2015
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Lleida és un gran exemple
Vicent Partal
10.07.2015
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I ara un parell de preguntes
Vicent Partal
09.07.2015
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Entre Irlanda i la CUP
Vicent Partal
08.07.2015
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(In)justícies
Vicent Partal
07.07.2015
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La democràcia té límits?
Vicent Partal
06.07.2015
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Persistència per a guanyar
Vicent Partal
05.07.2015
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Sumar
Vicent Partal
03.07.2015
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L’embolic d’Iceta amb el 9-N
Vicent Partal
02.07.2015
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Contra la 'llei mordassa'
Vicent Partal
01.07.2015
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Europa, en perill
Vicent Partal
30.06.2015
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A les vostres mans
Vicent Partal
29.06.2015
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La trampa
Vicent Partal
26.06.2015
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El retorn de la Generalitat
Vicent Partal
25.06.2015