Why this blog?
Catalonia is a deeply divided region. At the end of 2017, independence supporters (separatists) are in a minority and opponents of independence (unionists) have a narrow majority.
Very little is known about this conflict in Great Britain and Ireland. Probably also in the rest of the world.
The separatists operate a large, successful and well-financed propaganda machine outside Catalonia. They are supported in this by the Catalan regional government, which, due to the electoral system, is occupied by the separatists despite the the narrow majority of unionists.
The calls "Freedom" and "Independence", called at considerable demonstrations with sometimes more than 1 million people in Barcelona, have an enormous, positive effect on many people who can only deal superficially with this conflict because they lack the time or language skills, for example. Not only right-wing parties, such as the right-wing extremist Vlaamse Blok from Belgium, follow this propaganda. Even leftists feel convinced by this propaganda, although the conflict is anything but a struggle between left and right.
The central governments of Madrid are hardly opposing this successful propaganda and are making a frightening contribution to the fact that hardly anyone abroad is aware of the true conditions in Catalonia. Many unionists in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Comunidad Valencia feel betrayed and sold and speak only of the PPPSOE. What this means is that both parties, the PP and the PSOE, acted like coalition of tories and labour with regard to the conflict in Catalonia: Without any recognisable differences between the parties for the interests of the unionists and without any effective contribution to constructive coexistence.
The deployment of the police in the illegal referendum on 1 October 2017 and the subsequent detention of separatist leaders made it clear what Madrid thinks. One feels in a position of strength by the overall situation in Europe and does not consider it necessary to oppose the wrong picture of the situation in Catalonia.
With this blog I want to give all English speakers interested in the conflict the opportunity to find out more.
I do not want to hide the fact that I have no sympathy whatsoever for the separatist aspirations in Spain. Nor do I have any sympathy for the central government of Madrid as far as this conflict is concerned.
Comprehensive information is the first requirement for a better understanding of each other and what Convivencia (coexistence) means in Spanish.
Jávea, October 2018