Referendum: What's at stake?

A guide to the vote, and to the events that led up to it

What is Catalonia?

One of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, situated in the country’s northeast and home to 7.5 million. 

What are the origins of the secessionist conflict?

In 1975, a new Constitution gave Catalans a significant degree of political autonomy — but not enough, according to the region’s current political leadership. At one point, Spain’s national lawmakers came close to appeasing Catalan’s nationalist sentiment by allowing the region special autonomy. But when that statute was partially struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2010, tensions came to the fore.

Do most Catalans support independence?

In June 2012, 51.1% of respondents in a survey said they wanted independence, according to the Centre d’Estudis d’Opinió, Catalonia’s polling agency.  Recent opinion polls have shown support for independence waning.

Would Catalonia prosper on its own?

An independent Catalonia would be a midsize European nation, with Barcelona, one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities, as its capital. Much would depend on the financial and political terms, including how Spain’s debt burden would be split and whether Madrid would impose economic sanctions on Catalonia for withdrawing unilaterally. At previous times of tension, Spanish consumers have boycotted Catalan consumer goods like cava, the region’s sparkling wine.

© 2017 The New York Times