About: Catalonia independence
Catalan leader calls on Madrid to agree to independence referendum
Catalan leader Quim Torra relaunched a campaign to split his region from Spain on Tuesday (4 September), calling on the central government in Madrid to agree to a referendum on independence and rebuffing a vote that could only offer greater autonomy.
Spain’s conservatives swing to the right with new leader
Spain's conservatives shifted to the right on Saturday (21 July), electing a traditionalist as leader as they seek to re-establish a clear political identity less than two months after being removed from government.
In ‘cordial’ meeting with Catalan leader, Sánchez signals thaw
Spain’s Prime Minister signaled a thaw in relations with Catalonia yesterday (9 July), signing up to joint initiatives in a first meeting with the region’s leader but again ruling out any moves toward Catalan independence.
Spain’s new PM unveils pro-EU government dominated by women
Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday unveiled a new pro-EU government with the most women in modern history, with 11 female and six male ministers.
Kosovo is not Catalonia, Kosovo’s Thaci tells absent Spanish PM Rajoy
Pristina ‘understands’ the decision of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy not to attend the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, but “Kosovo is not Catalonia”, Kosovo's President Hashim Thaçi told EURACTIV.com.
Kosovo conundrum looms large over Western Balkans summit
As Bulgaria prepares for a Western Balkan summit in May, seen by many as the centrepiece of its EU Council Presidency, Sofia has realised that not all its guests want to sit at the same table.
Stormy protest in Barcelona after Germany arrests Puigdemont
Thousands of Catalan separatists hit the streets of Barcelona on Sunday (25 March), vowing the arrest of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont in Germany would not stop their push for independence.
Catalonia parliament speaker visits jailed former colleagues
Spanish journalists hoping for clarification on the political contingency plan in the affluent Catalonia region were left disappointed on Thursday (8 February) when the regional parliament speaker shunned the topic following his meeting with the ousted Catalan vice president in a Madrid...
Spain’s top court rejects new bid to arrest exiled Catalan ex-president
The Spanish Supreme Court dismissed on Monday (22 January) a request by top Spanish prosecutors to reactivate a European arrest warrant for the ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who has been in exile since November. EURACTIV'S partner EFE reports.
Learning from Catalonia: What criteria for independence bids?
The EU needs to establish a rational basis for determining the legitimacy of independence bids. Secession of regions should be difficult to enact, but not impossible, argue Steven Hill and Andrew Watt.
Fact or Fake: Is Madrid staging a ‘coup d’état’ in Catalonia?
As Catalans descend on Brussels for a pro-independence rally on Thursday (7 December), EURACTIV's Frédéric Simon goes over some of the claims made by their exiled leader, Carles Puigdemont.
Sacked Catalan leader challenges EU to respect election outcome
Catalonia's former leader challenged Spain and the European Union to respect the result of Catalan regional elections in December, saying Madrid would have to end direct rule if separatists win.
Bulgaria’s Simeon: Time to leave a mark after so many years of isolation
In an exclusive interview in his Vrana Palace near Sofia on 17 November 2017, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha shared his thoughts on the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. A version of this interview on the website BulgarianPresidency.eu contains the original transcript in Bulgarian.
Rajoy vows to defeat separatists in Catalan election
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Tuesday (14 November) he hopes to defeat separatists in next month's Catalan election, which will be dominated by regional lawmakers' independence drive, calling for a "massive" turnout by voters.
Hundreds rally in Brussels for Catalan independence
Several hundred people rallied in Brussels on Sunday (12 November) to back the independence push in Catalonia, slam the EU and demand Spain release jailed regional officials.
Puigdemont fate hangs on Belgium’s European arrest warrant response
A Belgian judge has granted conditional release to sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four of his ministers, and the group is scheduled to appear in court within 15 days, Belgian prosecutors said on Monday (6 November).
Dismissed Catalonia leader Puigdemont said to be in Brussels
Catalonia's dismissed separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was in Brussels on Monday (30 October), a Spanish government source said, as prosecutors called for him to be charged with rebellion over his drive for Catalan independence.
Diplomatic row between Greece and Spain’s ambassador over Catalonia
Greece called on Spain's ambassador to Athens on Sunday (29 October) to revoke statements to a Greek newspaper suggesting that the government was not supportive of Spanish unity.
Catalan crisis sparks controversy inside Belgian government
While hundreds of thousands of Catalans took to the streets on Sunday (29 October) in favour of unity with Spain, the Catalan crisis provoked infighting in the Belgian coalition government after the Flemish nationalists offered asylum to Catalan president Carles Puigdemont.
Rajoy sacks Catalan government, calls snap election
Spain on Friday (27 October) sacked Catalonia’s regional government, dissolved the Catalan parliament and called a snap election in the region for 21 December, in a bid to draw a line under Spain’s worst political crisis in 40 years.
Catalan parliament defies Madrid, declares independence
Catalonia's parliament declared independence from Spain in a historic vote on Friday (27 October), setting the scene for a showdown with Madrid, which has announced it would strip the breakaway region of its autonomy.
Moedas: ‘What’s going around in Spain is very difficult for all sides’
Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation admitted that the dramatic events and tensions in Spain over Catalonia were “very difficult for all the sides”, but repeated the official position of the EU executive that the constitutional order in Spain should prevail.
Catalonia on uncertain footing as elections ruled out
Madrid was poised on Friday (27 October) to seize control of Catalonia after the region's secessionist leader opted not to call regional elections, which had been seen as a way to ease Spain's worst political crisis in decades.