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A comment on Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain. Parent comment

Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by simias on Friday October 27, 2017 @11:31AM (#15569356)
Brexit was made possible by article 50 of the treaty on european union[1]. This article was introduced by the treaty of Lisbon[2] which was approved by the european parliament and ratified by all EU members.

So while only UK citizens got to vote on brexit the legal possibility to exit the union was actually approved by all the EU members. If there was an article in the spanish constitution that allowed for a region to secede under certain conditions we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Furthermore the UK always remained a sovereign state, with its own currency, army etc... It's hardly comparable to Catalunya. The scottish referendum would be a better comparison.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_50_of_the_Treaty_on_Eu...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by gonvaled on Friday October 27, 2017 @11:45AM (#15569507)
And that is exactly the problem. A state constitution which is unable to adapt to a changing society is destined to irrelevance.

Authority emanates from people, not from papers.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by simias on Friday October 27, 2017 @01:07PM (#15570239)
I'm not sure I understand your point. Do you think the majority of spaniards would support amending the constitution to allow for a region to declare independence? Seems really dubious to me. And if not, then why blame the constitution?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by gonvaled on Friday October 27, 2017 @07:05PM (#15572957)
I mean a Constitution is not, and must not be, respected if it goes against the will of a big part of the population.

A state constitution must offer a framework which is interesting for all of its peoples and territories: if big groups of people do not see the point of it, it looses its validity.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by bad_user on Friday October 27, 2017 @01:16PM (#15570332)
No dude, authority emanates from armies, which are never irrelevant. And the writing is on the wall.

I hope the Catalans that voted to leave have really good reasons to do it, because if the situation isn't defused somehow, there are some tough times ahead.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Catalan parliament declares independence from Spain by gonvaled on Friday October 27, 2017 @07:07PM (#15572970)
That is true for primitive societies. Modern, civiliced societies do not resort to violence when they lose the war of words and persuassion.

It is not clear we are in a modern era.

[ Parent | on HN ]