Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia

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Catalonia
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Catalonia

Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia Generalitat de Catalunya Executive branch – Government of Catalonia President: José Montilla Aguilera Deputies Legislative branch – Parliament of Catalonia President Ernest Benach i Pascual Board Plenary Assembly Parliamentary groups Judicial branch Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia Superior Prosecutor of Catalonia Council of Justice of Catalonia Local government Provinces Vegueries Comarques Municipalities Elections 2006 – 2003 – 1999 – 1995 – 1992 – 1988 – 1984 – 1980 2006 referendum Political parties
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On June 18, 2006, a referendum amending the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 1979 to further expand the authority of the Catalan government was approved in a referendum, and became effective as of August 9, 2006. This referendum was noted for getting the highest abstention of all elections held in Catalonia in its history: only 48.84% of the total census decided to participate.

It was also noted for its uneasy forging, since tensions regarding its final redaction within the coalition government which originally promoted the Statute led to an early regional election in 2006.

Catalonia first obtained a Statute of Autonomy in 1932, during the Second Spanish Republic. This law was abolished by General Francisco Franco after the Spanish Civil War, largely because Catalonia had been a region opposed to the Nationalist forces, and during his rule Catalan culture, language, and self-rule were harshly suppressed.

1 Self-government under the statute
2 Criticism
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Self-government under the statute

As an autonomous community of Spain, Catalonia has no official status or recognition at an international level. The new statute will not change this situation, except for the possibility of separate membership in UNESCO. On June 18, 2006, a referendum across Catalonia approved reforms to the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia which will make its self-government one of the most advanced in Spain, only lower to the two communities governed by the special regime of Fueros (i.e. the Basque Country and Navarre). The referendum permits Catalonia to retain a larger share of its tax revenues, to increase its juridicial rights, and even to consider itself a nation.^[1]

[edit] Criticism

A number of intelectuals have criticized what they describe as an "identitary obsession" amongst most of Catalan politicians and the media establishment. They quote the unprecedently high abstention in the referendum regarding the Statute (not even half of the total census choosed to participate in this election) as a symptom of those cited sectors being out of synch with the average populace. As a result of this opinion trend, a new political party sprung out Ciutadans - Partido de la Ciudadanía. It entered the Catalan Parliament during the election held soon after the Statute was passed.

[edit] Trivia

The statute is commonly referred to in Catalonia as "l'Estatut", using the Catalan word. Other Catalan words related to Catalan politics - govern, president, conseller en cap etc. -.