Catalonia

Spain is still fighting a battle that first tore it apart more than three centuries ago. The wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia has ramped up its struggle for independence, with an Oct. 1 referendum on breaking away turning violent after the Spanish government tried to block the illegal vote. Decades of political and legal fights to win recognition for their distinct traditions and language have left many Catalans infuriated. The separatists want a new country, which would have an economy the size of Finland or Portugal. The standoff has triggered Spain’s biggest political crisis since the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. It has strained the bonds that have held the country together for more than 500 years and fueled a debate about whether the dismantling of older nations is a logical evolution of the European Union.

Catalonia’s lawmakers unilaterally declared independence on Oct. 28. That prompted Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to fire the entire Catalan government, dissolve the regional parliament in Barcelona and call local elections for Dec. 21 in a bid to restore control of the semi-autonomous region. Spain's efforts to thwart the Oct. 1 referendum triggered incidents of riot police storming polling stations and beating up voters, provoking outrage around the world. Though turnout was less than 50 percent and the ballot lacked the controls required to make it reliable, about 90 percent backed a breakaway. Catalan separatists argue that their region, with 16 percent of Spain’s population, or 7.5 million people, and a fifth of its economy, gets a raw deal from the Spanish tax system. Still, the chaotic push for independence could temper support for the separatist cause. A poll conducted in October showed 40.2 percent of Catalans think they should have their own country, up from 34.7 percent in June.