The rogue region

A rogue region within Spain. This is what Catalonia has become. Roughly half the population supports a breakaway from Spain, the reminder wants to stay. But these are worrying times for Spain because Catalonia is one of most prosperous regions in the country and of course home to the all-conquering Barcelona Football Club. The stalemate has reached such a point it is difficult to see how the dispute will be resolved. Pro-independence parties published a road map for a breakaway from Spain but then they couldn´t agree on who should be president of the local government. Artur Mas, leader of the centre-right CIU, had been tipped to become leader of Catalonia but as yet there has been no accord, while at the same the Spanish government has waded into the affair, saying that any attempt at a breakaway would be quickly stopped through the laws courts. It is a complete mess, leaving the region in turmoil. And what is more it has become a big election issue. The Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy has taken a tough stance with Catalonia, saying that they will not budge an inch on anything related to independence. Rajoy´s tough line has been openly criticised in Catalonia but won him plenty of support in the rest of the country. It is difficult to see how the situation will be resolved. The easiest solution would be offer Catalonia a referendum on independence, but this will never happen as long as Rajoy is prime minister. So the stalemate will continue and Catalonia will suffer. It will be a question of who blinks first and I suspect it will be the pro-independence lobby.