Catalan independence movement

Left: Blue estelada (estelada blava), created at the beginning of the 20th century, is the most representative pro-independence symbol. Right: the Red estelada (estelada vermella) appeared in 1968, generally associated with the left-wing and socialist branch of the independence movement

The Catalan independence movement (Catalan: independentisme català;^[a] Spanish: independentismo catalán; Occitan: independentisme catalan) is a social and political movement with roots in Catalan nationalism that seeks the independence of Catalonia from Spain.

While proposals, organizations and individuals advocating for Catalan independence or the restitution of statehood for the Principality of Catalonia existed through the 18th and 19th centuries, the beginnings of the independence movement in Catalonia can be traced back to regionalism and Catalan nationalism from the mid–19th century, influenced by romantic ideas widespread in Europe at the time. The first relevant organised Catalan independence party was Estat Català ("Catalan State"), founded in 1922 by Francesc Macià. In 1931, Estat Català and other parties formed Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya ("Republican Left of Catalonia", ERC). Macià proclaimed a Catalan Republic within an Iberian Federation in 1931, subsequently accepting autonomy within the Spanish Republic after negotiations with the leaders of the provisional Spanish Republican government. During the Spanish Civil War, General Francisco Franco abolished Catalan autonomy in 1938. Following Franco's death in 1975, Catalan political parties concentrated on the recovery and further increase of autonomy rather than independence, which was restricted to extraparliamentary Marxist organizations and internal factions of mainstream parties.

The contemporary independence movement began around 2009 after a series of events, including the 2008 financial crisis and the Partido Popular (People's Party) challenging the 2006 Statute of Autonomy in the Constitutional Court of Spain; Catalan municipalities held symbolic referendums on independence between 2009 and 2011. The 2010 ruling of the court that parts of the statute were unconstitutional sparked huge protests, and a snap election in 2012 led to the first pro-independence majority ever in the Catalan parliament. The new government held a "non-binding" self-determination referendum in 2014, which yielded a large majority in favour of independence, but with a low turnout due to boycotting by anti-independence voters. A further election in 2015 was followed by the calling of a new, binding referendum. This was however considered illegal by the Spanish government and the Constitutional Court, as the Catalan government lacks legal jurisdiction to organize referendums. The referendum was nonetheless held in 2017 amidst great political and social controversy including police violence aimed at stopping it both before and during the voting. Amidst large protests from both the pro- and anti-independence camps, the Catalan parliament approved a motion with the aim to proclaim an independent republic. At the same time, the Spanish senate voted to take control of the Catalan institutions until new regional elections. The autonomous government leaders were arrested in the subsequent weeks with some fleeing abroad including then president Carles Puigdemont. In 2019, the new Spanish government agreed to hold a 'table of negotiations' with the government of Catalonia, though refusing beforehand to consider independence or self-determination. In 2020, the Spanish government began processing a request for the pardon of the arrested leaders, which was effective in June 2021.

In the Parliament of Catalonia, parties explicitly supporting independence are Together for Catalonia (Junts), heir of the former Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC); Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) and Catalan Alliance. Parties opposed to the Catalan independence are the People's Party (PP), the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) and Vox. Catalunya en Comú (Comuns) supports federalism and a legal and agreed referendum.
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