Will the Catalan reach for independence spread to other autonomous communities?

[TF1]

It looks like the probable coalition government in Catalunya will pact to aim for an independence referendum. Madrid states that it won´t tolerate any such attempt, this is backed by a statement by the armed forces. It´s all looking somewhat serious, and we can expect some huge, possibly violent demonstrations if Madrid blocks the proposed referendum . Meanwhile, Paulino Rivero is starting to make noises in the press about how these islands are a burden to the mainland, and vice-versa. If Catalunya breaks away, this could provoke a snowball effect for the Pais Vasco, Balearic and Canarian autonomies.
What do forum members think about Spain being broken up over the next decade? Could the Canary islands survive, or would they fare better?

[Harmonicaman]

If Scotland and Tenerife gain independence, who gets the flag????

[golf birdie]

the one with the best Football team, so that would be tenerife :cheeky:

[Harmonicaman]

the one with the best Football team, so that would be tenerife :cheeky:

We could fight for it...we've got 5 million, how many on Tenerife? :D

[cainaries]

OH says Canary Islands should break away and declare themselves a tax haven along the same lines as ... the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.

[Medanoman]

The problem with these independence issues is that who will want to bail us out if we all bugger off our separate ways with the money?. That Rajoy is doing all he can to avoid asking for the inevitable bail out. Having this independence noise out in public now is just adding insult to injury. It would be really bad for Spain as we know it. The Catalans account for 33% of gdp but are only 10% of the population.

All of this should seriously put off anyone thinking of investing in property in Spain. Can you imagine a break up, a default on any bailout and a return to a hugely de-valued peseta? A de valued currency is just what the Spanish need to kick start tourism again and create loads of employment. In the old days it was easy to pay off sovereign debt just by devaluing the local currency, but as we all know , in the euro zone there is no way to locally de value the euro hence the agony of cutting everything and reducing wages etc..Madrid may not like the Catalans asking for independence right now, but they have no right to brush their request under the carpet. My only worry is that the Catalans seem to speak with a voice far too radical to be normal, I see a train crash coming round the bend if we are not careful

[Fred Perry]

Where would FC Barcelona play there football then? :cheeky: Would the Spain national team lose thier Catalan players?
As far as I understand the Independentantists had bad results at the local elections in Catalunya last Sunday. Not sure why but I have family in Barcelona and they went on the massive Independance march a few weeks ago (1.8 million estimated took part). An amazing amount of people.

At Barca´s stadium the Nou Camp on 17 mins and 14 seconds the chant goes round for Independance.The Catalan flag with the star on is the Independance flag (not recognised by Spain)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itO_AwaJlj8&feature=related


Why 17.14 mins? The date 1714 was when Catalunya was involved in a war with Spain(not sure of the exact details I must admit).


Here, the Independance movement has not got the same support as other regions but it still exists. Believe it or not during the 70´s the Canarian Independantists exploded bombs on the mainland and also on Tenerife including one at a Los Cristianos supermarket (1977 I think).

[Medanoman]

As far as I understand the Independentantists had bad results at the local elections in Catalunya last Sunday. Not sure why but I have family in Barcelona and they went on the massive Independence march a few weeks ago (1.8 million estimated took part). An amazing amount of people.

The main independent party and its leader , a bloke called "Mass" lost a load of votes after it was rumored that he had considerable sums of money in Swiss bank accounts. This made them loose a load of seats, but having said that their loss was another independents parties gain. so the parties involved are going up and down , but the sentiment remains the same.

[Javi]

Here, the Independance movement has not got the same support as other regions but it still exists. Believe it or not during the 70´s the Canarian Independantists exploded bombs on the mainland and also on Tenerife including one at a Los Cristianos supermarket (1977 I think).[/QUOTE]

Canarian Idependantists were (and are) a big joke. A bunch of ignorants who prefer living in caves before recognizing the fact of we are living in the 21 century. One of their bomb threats, ended up, in 1973, causing that an aircraft which should have landed in Gran Canaria was diverted to Tenerife...It was the 23 Of February when that aircraft crashed with another one in Los Rodeos...100s of persons died that day. The worst aircraft accident ever in Spain (and probably in the world).