Spain
is different, it is very often said. And indeed it is. The Spanish
experiment with democracy is one of the most limited in Western Europe.
The last dictatorship under the fascist General Franco, which ended
after almost 40 years, was not the result of a popular dismantling; it
was a monitored dissolution after the dictator’s death (in his bed) in
November 1975. It was a controlled demolition under two basic premises:
firstly, a general amnesty perspicaciously presented as forgiveness to
the opposition, but created with the aim to free them from the crimes
commited during decades; secondly, the establishment of a legal
framework in which the monarchy (chosen by the dictator) and the unity
of Spain were immovably and unquestionably set.
fascist dictatorship, a force still very present in the government. Although labeled a “democratic” process, nationalists pushed for a constitutional agreement that would subvert a diverse Spanish heritage, disregarding different regional sensitivities completely. On December the 6th, 1978, a referendum was held. In which Spaniards had a say on topics never openly discussed before. The decision was over democracy, and the choice was yes or no; to go back to the past or to look towards the future. And so, unsurprisingly, the results were magnificent, although participation was not extremely high. In Spain, 67.1% of the citizens voted, and 88.5% voted yes; in Catalonia, 67.7% of citizens voted; and 90.4% voted yes. The success of the nationalists’ operation was complete. However, the failure to allow a public discussion and the inflexibility of the constitutional text carried with it the seeds of its own destruction.
Constitution is particularly wounding. This is not only because the republican
legitimacy of our institutions dates long before the day the referendum for the
Spanish Constitution was approved ( the Catalan Generalitat was reestablished in September 1977). It is because now the aspiration, freely expressed, in the Catalan national elections, held on November the 25th 2012, to build their own state - and the even more remarkable majority vote to hold a referendum of self-determination - is completely blocked by the immutability of the Spanish Constitutional text. The text is so narrowly interpreted by Spanish governmental bodies and political parties that it cannot and does not respect the clearly expressed will of the Catalan citizens. Historically, Catalonia had its own Constitutions before they were violently abolished in 1714. These Constitutions were flexible laws that could be amended and modified according to the evolving needs of Catalans. This is exactly what we are now claiming: laws (in particular the first one, the fundamental law of Spain) that can be adapted to the democratically expressed will of the people. We do not believe that the will (with a majority) of the communities should be subjugated to a Constitution.
The majority of Catalans do not want a Constitution that was formed in a large part to actually control and limit Catalonian independence.
About the author of this article for Help Catalonia
Miquel Perez Latre
@granollacs
Doctor of History, Archivist and Blogger@granollacs
Other articles by this author:
Catalonia: Spearheading Constitutionalism in Europe
The Catalan Language neesd its Own Country
Related articles:
FAQ: The Democratic Farce that is the Spanish Constitution
Read other Special Colaborators articles here
Cap comentari :
Publica un comentari a l'entrada