What Catalonia’s Vote for Independence Means for Europe

A separatist movement in Spain could inspire others; threatening European

integration.

On Monday, the regional parliament of Catalonia voted to begin the process of seceding

from Spain and becoming an independent country, …..1….. fears about unity in an

increasingly fragile Europe.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, promised to …..2….. the move for

independence by appealing the decision in Spain’s Constitutional Court.

Experts say the chances of Catalonia actually successfully seceding from Spain are

highly unlikely. Even if Catalonia could somehow break free, it would be unlikely to

…..3….. membership in the European Union or be recognized internationally.

Located in the northeast corner of Spain, Catalonia is arguably Spain’s most powerful

economic region, making up just 16% of the country’s population while providing a fifth

of the country’s economy. Though Catalonia has roots as an independent state dating

back to the 11th century, it has long been a part of Spain, while maintaining its own

language, culture, cuisine, and semi-autonomous government.

The political push to gain independence started …..4…… in September 2012 when

Rajoy …..5….. with Catalonia’s leader Artur Mas over the region’s request to reduce its

contribution of tax revenue to Spain’s central government, which redistributes wealth to

poorer regions of the country. The Prime Minister refused to negotiate, causing

frustrations to …..6….. in Catalonia. At that time the moderate Mas supported greater

economic sovereignty for Catalonia but not independence from Spain. He has since

changed his mind, joining forces with more radical Catalonian politicians.

Since 2012—partly because of the Rajoy’s refusal to negotiate with the Catalans—the

independence movement has gained considerable …..7……. The two pro-independence

parties in Catalonia, Junts pel Si and CUP, the far-left party, together won a majority of

72 seats out of 135 in the regional legislature in an election on Sept. 27th. But the victory

came through a parliamentary …..8….. that meant the pro-independence parties won

only 48% of the vote. Despite this, and the fact that opinion …..9….. show that less than

50% of Catalans support independence, the far left factions of the movement have

decided to hold a vote on independence.

Catalonia’s very public and aggressive movement towards independence could also

send shockwaves beyond Spain into greater Europe. Some are concerned that a strong,

highly publicized Catalan movement could ignite similar bids for secession in regions of

Italy, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, where a referendum for independence

in Scotland failed in September of last year. Already, the Catalonian movement seems

to have inspired a coalition of separatist parties in the Basque country, another semi-

autonomous region in Spain, to submit a ……10…… to their local parliament to give

Basque citizens the ability to decide their future, which could include independence. In a

statement on Nov. 3rd, a …..11…… for one of the separatist parties referred to

Catalonia’s movement several times.

Such movements threaten the stability of the European Union, which has already been

weakened in recent years over the economic crisis, fiscal problems in Greece, the

…..12….. possibility that Britain might leave the E.U., and disagreements over the mass

migration of refugees from the Middle East. Muñiz says that the …..13…… of nation

states threatens the very nature of the European project itself, which formed in part to

redirect the nationalism that led to the Second World War.

Within this context, Catalan’s increasingly loud independence movement “matters

hugely,” says Muñiz. “Europe is essentially the largest political project of diversity in the

world. If this movement were successful and were to …..14……similar movements, it

would essentially be the end of European integration.”

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1. Match the following words from the article with their meanings.

SYNONYM SYNONYM

1. TO TUSSLE a.TO STRUGGLE 8. QUIRK h. SURVEY

2. TO HALT b. INCITE 9. MOMENTUM i. SERIOUSNESS

3. TO GAIN c. TO FUEL 10. POLL j. PROPOSED STATUE

4. TO SPLINTER d. INCREASE 11. IN EARNEST k. DELEGATE

5. TO SPUR e. BREAK 12. BILL l. PECULIARITY

6. TO MOUNT f. TO STOP 13. SPOKESMAN m. APPROACHING

7. TO STOKE g. ACQUIRE 14. LOOMING n. STRENGTH

2. Fill in the gaps in the text with the following words:

in earnest * quirk * momentum * tussled * spokesman * stoking

* polls * bill * splintering * spur * gain * halt * to mount *

* looming

3. In groups, debate the main ideas from the article.