Things Are Moving in Catalonia

The recent referenda on independence held at 160 Catalan municipalities has raised the issue and temperature in Catalonia!

Now, a poll published in the daily El Periodico (which is published as separate Catalan and Spanish editions every day) has found that the public is evenly split on being for and against independence with 20% undecided.

If one takes into account that the poll probably asked people of all backgrounds on their views on the subject then my guess is that a majority of Catalan people are in favour of independence with many of the antis (not all of course) would include 'native' Catalans, people of Spanish decent, Latin American and other nationalities who've moved to the country. It would be interesting to know.

The people who've moved to the UK are by a vast majority very supportive of British independence so, would 'British' people of any political persuasion, be happy to see recent immigrants decide on the constitutional future of the UK? Or the Tibetans happy to see their constitutional future decided by Han Chinese?

Is it also the case that the central Spanish government sees the movement of people into Catalonia as a way of keeping Catalonia a part of Spain in the same way as pro-Belgian Francophones see immigrants to Belgium (who tend to be Francophone) as being voters for the continuation of Belgium and promoters of the French rather than Dutch language? I don't know, Just asking.

Also interesting is the definition of Catalans as a nation (52% among people in Catalonia - the same split again?) whereas the rest of Spain don't see Catalans as a nation (80% against).

Funny that Catalonia with its own language, government which celebrates its 650 anniversary this year and who fought a war of liberation in 1714 is not a nation whilst 'imagined communities' created by the landed elites means that Spanish people recognise such 'nations' as Uruguay, Chile or Columbia!