yoink 321 #1 October 1, 2017 I know the US news isn't really big on talking about events in other parts of the world, but the stuff going down in Spain right now is kind of crazy. Catalonia is voting on a referendum for independence from Spain and has declared that they will abide by the results. If people vote yes then Catalonia was act as though they are an independent nation, but the Spanish Central government has stated categorically that the vote is illegal, has no effect and means nothing. No vote has been discussed or arranged between the two parties and court orders have declared any independent voting illegal. the central government have said they will thousands of police to physically stop people voting. This is where it gets interesting. The Catalan police, theoretically, should follow the rules set by the Central government and lots of them aren't doing, and nobody's sure what an independent Catalonia would do to Spain or Europe. Catalonia referendum defies Spanish obstruction http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41426023 And of course, now it's gotten even worse: Catalan referendum: 'Hundreds injured' in clashes http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41461032 Those thousands of police that are following the court ruling of preventing any voting taking place have started using rubber bullets and batons in the prevention of the voting, and are smashing their way into voting stations. It reads like something from a third world dictatorship to prevent free speech, but the actions of the regional government are categorically illegal, so who's in the right? Spain's a real mess right now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,257 #2 October 1, 2017 What a mess. Regardless of the legality of the referendum (which seems to have violated both the Spanish Constitution and Catalonia's own parliamentary law) it looks like the Spanish government couldn't do more to create support for the independence movement if they tried Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rifleman 61 #3 October 1, 2017 More information on the history of the conflict between Spain and Catalonia https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/09/08/five-things-to-remember-about-catalonia/Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #4 October 1, 2017 yoink Spain's a real mess right now. Nonsense. It's only Catalunia - a very small part of Spain. Since many years, they're trying to become independent .... just ask the long time employees at Empuriabrava DZ (Girona/Catalunia), my favorite SD place. No matter how actual *movements* will end, they will never give up ... The rest of Spain is quite relaxed. dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,390 #5 October 1, 2017 christelsabine The rest of Spain is quite relaxed. Like the Basque region and ETA?"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #6 October 2, 2017 christelsabine *** Spain's a real mess right now. Nonsense. It's only Catalunia - a very small part of Spain. It's about 6% of the total area of Spain, makes up about 16% of the total population and nearly 20% of the total economic output of the entire country... I think that dismissing it as 'only a small part of Spain' isn't giving the situation the gravity it deserves. Definitions of 'small' aside, I'd make the argument that for any established country a province of it having a referendum to break away that is taken seriously enough by the central government that they declare the vote illegal and then send in thousands of police causing hundreds of injuries is 'a mess'. And that's to say nothing of Spain's ongoing wider economic woes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMK 3 #7 October 2, 2017 I’ve visited the Catalan region for the past 20 years for pleasure travel and Madrid for near the same time frame for business purposes. To add some personal colour, I’ve always regarded the Catalan region as the “Mississippi” of Spain. While I find the Catalan food great, I just view the whole area as backwards (which is saying something if you’re comparing it to Madrid - please excuse my derogatory nomenclature if you are from Mississippi, but that is how I describe it). Seeing a country from both its board rooms and its tourist areas gives a wider and often different picture. Spain is an “odd” one. In some instances, you can encounter the very professional, but it is often spoiled by an overarching umbrella of disorganisation. If unfamiliar with Spain, outsiders may view them, in light of the Catalan events, as “fiery and independent” which will be received positively by Americans. However, in practice you find more of the “ass kissing” persona in corporate Spain. I’ve encountered few places where persons were so far more concerned about “pleasing” their boss as opposed to getting real results – this in in reference to persons making no less than 6-digit (even 7-digit) incomes, not the portion of the populace that lives paycheck-to-paycheck. Behind the curtain, the country is really run by a group of large families. Understand these families and you better understand Spain."Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #8 October 2, 2017 ryoder *** The rest of Spain is quite relaxed. Like the Basque region and ETA?Current status: Inactive (since a while) dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
