Catalans pushing for separation

A group of Catalan members of parliament is drawing up a plan for Spain as a "federal state" which also foresees the possibility of certain parts of the country seceding. Professor of law Mariano Bacigalupo points to a confusion of terms here in the Spanish daily El País: "I ask myself why some people insist on demanding a federal state (which we basically already have) when what they really want is a confederation. Do they perhaps believe that simply by giving the proposals a sweeter-sounding name - the euphemistic use of the label 'federal' - they will be able to reach those who really do have a federal vision of the state of autonomous regions (in particular the Spanish Socialists) and convince them of what they want, which is nothing more and nothing less than its transformation into a purely confederate structure? Let's stop here. By all means let us discuss openly and respectfully all the different options without dismissing any of them, but let's start by calling things by their real name."

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Federalism, » Separatism, » Spain