Torn Spanish could do with more serenity

Never before have so many Spanish flags been flown as during the World Cup - even in Catalonia. But the World Cup victory will do nothing to solve Spain's inner conflicts, writes the left-liberal Frankfurter Rundschau: "On Saturday, the day before the triumph, tens  - some reliable sources say hundreds - of thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate their Catalan identity to the world. ... The occasion for the protest was a mere bagatelle. Recently the Spanish Constitutional Court decided that certain aspects of Catalonia's new regional status were anti-constitutional. True, this will not be Catalonia's demise, nevertheless her nationalist politicians - and unfortunately also her socialists - thrive on permanent confrontation with the rest of the country. On the other side of the coin are the ultra-nationalists, who regard every desire for regional autonomy as treason against the hallowed Spanish nation. Both sides could do with a bit more serenity."

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