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Barcelona snapshot
I
t only takes a few minutes in Barcelona to realize that wherever you might
be, you’re emphatically not in Spain. Or, rather you are – just not in the
clichéd Spain of paella, sangria, bullfights and flamenco. Instead, Barcelona
is a dynamic modern city that considers itself almost a place apart, with a
deeply felt Catalan identity rooted in a rich, and at times, glorious past. The
language is an easy identifier, with Catalan street and business signs taking
precedence over Castilian Spanish by law. Or just take note of the burgeoning
number of .cat domain names to know that the least Spanish city in Spain
always does things its own way.
City and state
Barcelona is the capital of the province of Catalunya, whose official title is
the
Comunitat Autonoma de Catalunya
. It’s one of seventeen “autono-
mous communities” recognized by the new Spanish constitution of 1978, with
Catalunya defined as a “nationality” (rather than, crucially, a “nation”) by the
original 1979 Statute of Autonomy.
The Catalan government – the
Generalitat
– based in Barcelona, enjoys
a high profile, employing eighty thousand people in sixteen departments or
ministries, controlling social services, urban planning, culture, regional transport,
industry, trade, tourism, fisheries and agriculture. However, as long as the budget
is based on
tax
collected by central government and then returned propor-
tionately, the scope for real independence is limited, as the Generalitat has no
tangible resources of its own and is forced to
share jurisdiction
on strategic
matters such as health, education and justice with the Spanish state. In addition,
although an autonomous part of Spain, Catalunya is not officially recognized
at international level.
However, over the years steps have been taken to create at least the illusion
of independence. Catalan (as opposed to Spanish) tourism, trade and industry
are increasingly promoted abroad, while two of the most visible symbols of the
Spanish state, the Guardia Civil and the Policía Nacional, are gradually being
scaled down, with urban
policing
and rural and highway duties being taken
over by the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalunya’s autonomous police force. Cultur-
ally, emphasis has been on the promotion of the
Catalan language
– currently
one of the fastest-growing languages in the world. All Catalunya’s children are
taught in Catalan, while the entire machinery of regional government and busi-
ness is conducted in Catalan.
In the end, further independence for Catalunya might well be trumped by the
onward march of
European integration
. Spain’s regional governments already
have representatives at the European Union, working on committees alongside
the Spanish delegates. In addition, the Spanish government is committed to
consulting the regions on any European issues that affect them directly, and
there are ongoing discussions about making Catalan an official EU language.
Parliament and local politics
The
Parlament de Catalunya
(Parliament of Catalunya) comprises a single
chamber of 135 members, with elections held every four years. It sits in the old
Ciutadella arsenal building in Parc de la Ciutadella, in parliamentary sessions that
run from September to December and February to June, though extraordinary
CONTEXTS
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Barcelona snapshot