On Sunday 10 April, lived in Barcelona for a referendum on the independence of Catalonia. But let's face was not exactly a referendum. I know that referendums are not necessarily binding, but it often happens that political parties are behind, who have also subsequent petition campaign to vote in either direction, a rich and stuffy institutional advertising media campaign on TV radio and leaflets everywhere, his day of reflection, their polling stations, a day after they called for reflection, television and radio debates, interviews with leaders, mass meetings and surveys to explore for vote ... The referendum on day 10 in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bwhich had none of those things, there was therefore a referendum. Not having, received no electoral college itself. The electoral college was a trail to shelter from the sun, because the polls (yes had) were on the street, in small squares, intersections. More than a referendum was something like a collection of signatures on a given topic. People's Initiative or something. Some might think so were media campaign. I think that, if any, was very poor. And plenty of slots for non-participation. For example, the second largest newspaper in Catalunya (El Periódico) called two days earlier, from the cover more or less, abstention. That "aixi, no "also invited, should vote to do so by the no. The first newspaper (La Vanguardia) went on tiptoe all week on the subject and gave no importance. TV3 said it himself, but without anyone to encourage voter turnout. Ara Avui newspaper, the only campaign that did more or less active, are certainly a minority. Who encouraged, almost alone, were Pujol y Mas, with his vote helped put the referendum on the table. Without them there is no doubt that he had talked a lot less of this sort of pseudo-referendum.
It was expected that only would come to "vote? fairly confident independence. The radical independent, if that makes any sense to speak. It was to be expected. But on Friday before taking leave of a colleague clearly independence, I asked if I would go to vote and said no, that this vote "és com a acudit" (sounds like a joke). If even the unconvinced voters, I thought, this will be a disaster. The same Sunday of the referendum, and good morning, that disaster was nothing. And the end result is that they think. I correct myself: it should make you think, because I know that many will not even bother. A census 18%, 21% of voters in any If more than 250,000 locals. I would never have dared to suspect a high figure indeed.
Sometimes there are times when no special significance to us are recorded in the mind with unusual clarity. For example, an occasion when a group of friends, make about ten or fifteen years, to speculate how many people would go to Barcelona to vote in a hypothetical referendum on independence. I remember we took the initial figure of one hundred thousand voters as hypothetical round number. "One hundred thousand locals would come to the polls? The answer was massively negative. Thirty thousand seemed a more accurate figure. Thirty thousand independence in Barcelona (because they always believe that the independence movement was more typical of rural Catalunya). We know that the result in this pseudo-referendum of 230,000 has been affirmative. What I do not know is whether the independence movement was much hidden or Barcelona has risen in recent years.
What a referendum seriously, with their polling, his campaign, his day of reflection, its media activity? What would happen in an official referendum, a referendum of those they vote for both the Yes and for those not necessarily not very convinced?
Whatever. In the background is not worth going down that road, the speculation policy. More interesting is probably the analysis. Why do so many people voted for YES? How is it that so many Catalans have independence? Recall that of the 947 Catalan municipalities have held consultations in 554, and the number of affirmative votes amounting to more than 800,000. That is, more than 800,000 Catalans who have chosen to vote in a referendum that does not work for absolutely nothing. Even the eggs must be at least.
I feel it for quite some time: the growing independence movement in Catalonia. Because the fit of Catalunya in Spain, it seems to me, conflict is not resolved, it seems that nobody wants to solve and, meanwhile, not content to anyone. Because the Constitutional Court saying that Catalonia is a nation here we sounded like absolute betrayal. Because Spain still wants to see how a Spain Spain English in front of a truly plural and multinational. I also noticed in recent regional elections, is being given, as in Euskadi, a grouping into two main groups, nationalists and constitutionalists. And something that is perhaps more remarkable still: the independence movement for years belonged to the ranks of Esquerra Republicana. Today, no: there is in the ranks of other historic and Convergencia parties, Unio Initiative and even PSC (yet very sneaky), as well as new formations or Reagrupament Solidarity. That is, it has spread. In the same proportion that the malaise has spread.
You know what happens in Catalonia? That, as elsewhere, depends on who tells the story, I realized one way or another. Which are located on the side of the Constitutionalists do not think that nothing is so serious, and that what the Constitution said was so bad, or that deep down there is so much independence movement in Catalonia. On the other hand who stand on the side of the sovereign are a group of people who are wrong in your relationship with Spain, they do not feel respected, they perceive many pay taxes and do not see too clear that the distribution is fair after all, who feel angry about many things and anti-Catalan campaign, who are tired of so much to defend both pedagogy and evidence, they feel the historic mistreatment doubt survives . And what's worse: that all this hurts (because hurts those who do not are the ones who put the other side, and holy Easter.)
not know if this has a solution. I do not know if Catalonia will be independent one day (basically, I think not, because for independence is needed anger, and I think that fortunately it does not exist.) I do not know whether the water will return to normal independence and excitement disappears. What I know is that there are a thousand things that do not help. ZP statements laughing almost 18% of locals who voted, that, for example, does not help. And so many other things.
And me? What did I do the 10-A? (Which is to answer which of the two previously mentioned groups I stand). I voted.
I bet all my life to the understanding with Spain. For the federal state that allows us to be comfortable at all. But this dream away, or more clearly not approaching. And I'm tired of two things: to wait and pedagogy.
The Independent is a policy option that deserves respect. Hardly can be democratic if the people are allowed freely to choose, if requested. And the breakdown of the direct links does not imply any other kind of break. You see what I mean.
In September 2010 the Barcelona City Council invited a large bilingual poet, called Joan Margarit, to dictate the proclamation of the parties. And everybody got the surprise of the century. Because Margarit, who was not independence, never had been, suddenly dropped a rant in favor of the independence movement. Like many others, had gone from camp. Worth it or that it was to sense the discomfort he felt that impresentable called Jordi Hereu. I want to rescue a paragraph from the memorable proclamation and dedicate it to all friends outside of Catalonia.
"But this change of relationship (with Spain, which he had just proposed in his speech) will be as fundamental as I said my friend and great Castilian poet Luis García Montero when we finished one of our conversations on this subject:` Joan, grant me your friendship will never become independent of us' "
As you know García Montero borders are one thing that can change, and other affections.
In any case, many Catalans feel that the time has come to claim, in fortunate Lluis Llach expression, our own "spring lliure."
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