Catalonia and Scotland: Nations in Flux

By Paul Anderson

For over a decade, debates on nationalism and independence in Western Europe (and past) have been dominated by discussions on occasions in Catalonia and Scotland. In my just lately printed guide, Territorial politics in Catalonia and Scotland: Nations in flux (Manchester College Press) I give attention to 5 themes associated to establishments and actors (self-rule and recognition, shared rule, the courts, state nationalism and independentism), to chart and evaluate developments in each instances over a ten yr interval (2010-2020). Drawing on a collection of interviews I performed with parliamentarians, politicians and civil society activists, I discover the affect of momentous occasions such because the 2014 and 2017 independence referendums, the 2016 Brexit vote and the expertise and implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the evolution of territorial politics in each instances. 

The evaluation within the guide highlights the numerous self-rule wielded by Catalonia and Scotland however spotlights a sample of creeping centralisation and central authorities encroachment on Catalonia and Scotland’s autonomy. Within the case of Scotland, Brexit illuminated the centralist tendencies of the UK authorities and its ‘Westminster and Whitehall is aware of greatest’ mantra because it repeatedly handed laws in Westminster – at occasions unilaterally altering the devolution settlement – however the refused consent of the Scottish Parliament. In Catalonia, an identical tendency could be traced to the early growth of the territorial mannequin within the Eighties. Processes of centralisation had been evident all through the tenure of the centre-right Partido Widespread authorities led by Mariano Rajoy (2011-2018). Nevertheless, the Socialist Get together (PSOE) has additionally proven a proclivity for centralisation since taking workplace in 2018, notably through the Covid-19 pandemic and the enactment of the ‘state of alarm’ to centralise well being care powers from the autonomous communities. In mild of vociferous critique by autonomous group presidents (notably not restricted to the same old suspects in Catalonia and the Basque Nation) the PSOE-led authorities opted for a mannequin of ‘co-governance’, however because the dialogue within the guide makes clear, the constructions didn’t fairly reside as much as the rhetoric; hierarchical interplay dominated by the central authorities remained. 

Whereas the pandemic was a rare occasion necessitating shut interplay and coordination between totally different ranges of presidency, the arrival of the PSOE authorities in 2018 and its goal to dampen tensions between the Catalan and Spanish governments marked a change in method in the direction of intergovernmental relations (IGR) in comparison with the earlier Rajoy administration. Intergovernmental interplay was reinstated, accompanied by a extra conciliatory and considerably accommodative tone to handle the constitutional impasse between the governments. Akin to Spain, shared rule within the UK is an underdeveloped element of the territorial mannequin, characterised by a territorially unrepresentative second chamber and weak IGR. The negotiation of the 2014 referendum by the Scottish and UK governments represented a triumph in IGR, however within the aftermath of the Brexit vote in 2016 relations considerably soured, colored by the diametrically opposing and competing positions of the Scottish and UK governments. In each instances, there may be a lot room for enchancment to facilitate higher and enhanced interplay between the central and subnational governments. 

The comparability of Spain’s Constitutional Courtroom and the UK’s Supreme Courtroom highlights contrasts within the plurinational sensitivity of the authorized establishments in addition to  the elevated sample of judicial activism that has taken place since 2010. That is far more notable within the case of Spain the place recourse to the courts was the first technique of the Rajoy-led Spanish authorities in managing Catalan secessionist calls for. Nonetheless, in Scotland post-2016 we witnessed a sample of Brexit-related litigation, with some constitutionally vital judgements with long-lasting implications for the devolution mannequin (e.g. the Miller case judgment on the Sewel Conference). Within the case of Catalonia, the evaluation highlights the challenges of the judicialisation of politics and politicisation of the judiciary that has taken place since 2010, whereas within the UK the dialogue is extra centered on the institutionalised asymmetry within the territorial system due to the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty and its privileging of the Westminster Parliament over devolved legislatures.

The ultimate two themes examined within the guide relate to the state and minority nationalist actions within the two instances. Evaluating the principle statewide political events, I study the pro-federal discourse of events most generally related to the left and the way this pertains to their pro-union/pro-state integrity positions in addition to the rise of extra assertive and fewer accommodative territorial methods for these events on the proper. The interview knowledge right here illuminates the tensions inside these events vis-à-vis territorial visions, electoral competitors and the hurdles of political actuality. 

The same story of inner tensions emerges within the dialogue of the pro-independence actions. The evaluation charts the exceptional rise of pro-independence events in each instances and compares the rationales behind the expansion in secessionist assist. The dialogue additionally highlights the challenges for the actions in advancing their independence causes. Brexit, for instance, reinvigorated the Scottish independence motion nevertheless it additionally considerably sophisticated the case for independence, whereas in Catalonia inner disputes over independence technique and coverage colored relations between the principle nationalist events. Evaluation of the state and minority nationalist actions highlights the dynamism and fluidity of territorial politics in Catalonia and Scotland. For a lot of the interval below research conservative governments had been in energy in Spain and the UK whereas pro-independence events dominated in Catalonia and Scotland. The rise of the pro-independence actions evidently posed a menace to the continuation of the Spanish and UK states of their present varieties, however because the evaluation within the guide illuminates, the dominance of an rigid unionism within the UK and emergence of an more and more illiberal right-wing Spanish nationalism posed as a lot a menace to the continuation of political partnership as Catalan and Scottish secessionism.

Constructing on the evaluation of the 2 instances, the guide concludes by discussing  how the territorial fashions in each instances could possibly be reimagined. Via the lens of multinational federalism, I sketch  some potential avenues for reform. These embody remodelling and enhancing constructions and processes for IGR and redesigning the second chambers in addition to a much-needed overhaul in central authorities mindsets in the direction of their interactions with devolved establishments. On this vein, I name for a extra plurinationally delicate non-majoritarian political tradition undergirded by a dedication to recognition, respect for range, mutual belief, partnership and parity of esteem to reset relations for the good thing about each minority and majority communities.

Punctuated by vital occasions typically with long-lasting ramifications, the ten yr interval examined within the guide was certainly one of continuity, change and disaster. Over the last decade, points associated to territorial politics elevated in significance and at occasions dominated political debate not simply in Catalonia and Scotland however throughout Spain and the UK too. Since 2020, developments in territorial politics have continued apace with personnel adjustments in management in Scotland, the election of a non-secessionist authorities in Catalonia, the re-election of the PSOE in Spain and a brand new Labour authorities within the UK. Seven years on from the 2017 independence referendum, current polling in Catalonia has recorded declining assist for independence. The momentum of the procés has actually dissipated, however pro-independence events nonetheless garner substantial assist. Predictions of the demise of the independence motion are considerably untimely. In Scotland, a decade after the independence referendum assist for independence stays across the 45% benchmark secured in 2014, however the electoral resurgence of Labour and declining reputation of the SNP. Like Catalonia, the controversy on independence is not on the forefront of political debate, however the difficulty has removed from disappeared. The longer term constitutional trajectories of each Catalonia and Scotland stay unknown. Just one factor is definite: they may proceed to be ‘nations in flux’.