In Spain, Catalans try independence path that Basques feared to tread
Helena Gartzia has wanted independence for the Basque region her entire life. And 10 years ago the former city councilor in the industrial city of Bilbao, along with other likeminded Basque nationalists, was in the vanguard of Spain’s restive regional communities.
Today, though, it is the Catalans who are making the running in the independence stakes, scheduling a referendum for Sunday that will ask residents in the northeastern region of 7.5 million inhabitants if they want a Catalonia free from Spanish rule.
How did their fortunes switch?
Largely, observers say, because the Basque regional government has given up on Gartzia’s dream of
Divided in CataloniaThe de facto approach
