Alberto LÓPEZ BASAGUREN Catedrático de Derecho Constitucional Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) 1 FUNDACIÓ RAFAEL CAMPALANS / FRIEDRICH EBERT Stiftung CONVENCIÓ FEDERALISTA Barcelona, 18 de septiembre de 2015

2 “Catalunya és una nació. (…) Una nació que no ha renunciat mai als seus drets inherents com a poble, ni tampoc al dret a l’autodeterminació, i que sempre ha anhelat les màximes cotes d’autogovern”

3 Tratados de Paz (Versalles, 1919): ¿principio de las nacionalidades?

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6 Los Tratados de Minorías

7 Nación y homogeneidad “Thanks to war, occupation, boundary adjustments, expulsions and genocide, almost everybody now lived in their own country, among their own people”

8 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (UN GA Resolution 1514 (XV) ) Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co- operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (UN GA, Resolution 2625 (XXV) )

9 “(…) the international law right to self-determination only generates, at best, a right to external self-determination in situations of former colonies; where a people is oppressed, as for example under foreign military occupation; or where a definable group is denied meaningful access to government to pursue their political, economic, social and cultural development”

10 “In all three situations, the people in question are entitled to a right to external self-determination because they have been denied the ability to exert internally their right to self- determination. Such exceptional circumstances are manifestly inapplicable to Quebec under existing conditions”

11 “… a rethought and modernised concept of nation…” “…difficult, not to say impossible, to arrive to a common definition of the concept of nation…” Consejo de Europa – Asamblea Parlamentaria The concept of “nation” ( )

12 “… groups of people who are at the same time citizens of the same state or civic nation, but who belong to or are part of different cultural nations. As compared with the biggest group of citizens having the same ethno- Consejo de Europa – Asamblea Parlamentaria The concept of “nation” ( ) cultural background, those group, who are relatively smaller, constitute and are called national minorities”

13 “These national minorities or communities (…) which represent a constitutive part and a co-founding entity of the nation-state of which their members are Consejo de Europa – Asamblea Parlamentaria The concept of “nation” ( ) subjects as citizens, enjoy their rights in order to preserve, express and foster their national identity”

14 “… necessary to strengthen recognition of every European citizen’s links with his identity, culture, traditions and history, to allow any individual to define himself as member of a cultural ‘nation’, irrespective of his country of citizenship or the civic Consejo de Europa – Asamblea Parlamentaria The concept of “nation” ( ) nation whose he belongs as a citizen, and more specifically, to satisfy the growing aspirations of minorities which have a heightened sense of belonging to a certain cultural nation”

15 “What is important, from both a political and a legal standpoint, is to encourage a more tolerant approach to the issue of relation between the State and national minorities, culminating in genuine acceptance of every Consejo de Europa – Asamblea Parlamentaria The concept of “nation” ( ) individual’s right to belong to the nation he feels he belongs to, whether in terms of citizenship or language, culture and traditions”

16 Consejo de Europa Convenio Marco para la Protección de las Minorías Nacionales (1995) - Ratificado por España: Entrada en vigor: 1998

17 … protect within their respective territories the existence of national minorities; … the upheavals of European history have shown that the protection of national minorities is essential to stability, democratic security and peace…; … a pluralistic and genuinely democratic society should not only respect the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of each person belonging to a national minority, but also create appropriate conditions enabling them to express, preserve and develop this identity;

18 belonging to those minorities, within the rule of law, respecting the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of states; … the principles to be respected and the obligations which flow from them, in order to ensure, in the member States (…) the effective protection of national minorities and of the rights and freedoms of persons

19 Article 3 1. Every person belonging to a national minority shall have the right freely to choose to be treated or not to be treated as such and no disadvantage shall result from this choice or from the exercise of the rights which are connected to that choice.

20 Article 5 1 … to promote the conditions necessary for persons belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their culture, and to preserve the essential elements of their identity namely their religion, language, traditions and cultural heritage.

21 Regions and territories with special status in Europe RESOLUTION 361 (2013) “…special regional autonomy status can be an effective counterbalance to secessionist tendencies (…) This will require the political will to pursue peaceful political dialogue to identify and negotiate suitable legal and constitutional solutions and develop satisfactory models of decentralised democratic governance for the regions concerned” Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Chamber of Regions CPR(25)2FINAL - 30 October 2013

22 Regions and territories with special status in Europe RECOMMENDATION 346 (2013) “…much of the future of the European space, its future peaceful and prosperous development will depend on making greater progress in conflict prevention and resolution, which will require the political will to pursue peaceful political dialogue and to move forward on identifying and negotiating legal and constitutional solutions, to develop satisfactory models of decentralised democratic governance for regions with specific issues and identities” Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Chamber of Regions CPR(25)2FINAL - 30 October 2013

23 Preámbulo: Proteger a todos los españoles y pueblos de España en el ejercicio de los derechos humanos, sus culturas y tradiciones, lenguas e instituciones.

24 Artículo 2. La Constitución se fundamenta en la indisoluble unidad de la Nación española, patria común e indivisible de todos los españoles, y reconoce y garantiza el derecho a la autonomía de las nacionalidades y regiones que la integran y la solidaridad entre todas ellas.

25 The Advisory Committee notes that Spain continues to view Roma as the only group to be protected under the Framework Convention. (…) has not been informed of specific demands from other groups whose culture, language and traditions are different to that of the majority, even though it considers that the Framework Convention may also benefit them (…) It encourages the authorities to make a determined effort to promote awareness of the Framework Convention throughout the population.

26 “De la nación puede, en efecto, hablarse como una realidad cultural, histórica, lingüística, sociológica y hasta religiosa. Pero la nación que aquí importa es única y exclusivamente la nación en sentido jurídico-constitucional. Y en ese específico sentido la Constitución no conoce otra que la Nación española” Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional 31/2010, de 28 de junio, sobre la reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña

27 “… ni pueden tampoco, al amparo de una polisemia por completo irrelevante en el contexto jurídico- constitucional que para este Tribunal es el único que debe atender, referir el término «nación» a otro sujeto que no sea el pueblo titular de la soberanía” Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional 31/2010, de 28 de junio, sobre la reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña

28 “Nous allons demander aux élus de cette Chambre de voter sur une motion qui reconnaît la nation québécoise (…) Les nations ont des droits, dont celui d'orienter elles-mêmes leur développement”. Giles DUCEPPE, Bloc québecois Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá Motion: Que cette Chambre reconnaisse que les Québécoises et les Québécois forment une nation

29 “The true intention of the Bloc leader and the sovereignist camp is perfectly clear. It is not to recognize what the Québécois are, but what the sovereignists would like them to be. For the Bloc, this is not about Quebec as a nation; the National Assembly has already pronounced on that. This is about separation. To them, nation means separation”. Stephen HARPER, Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá

30 “…tout ce que le Bloc québécois tente de faire, c'est de nous diviser (…) Au fond, encore une fois, en essayant de s'approprier ce débat, les bloquistes tentent de nous dire qu'ils sont les seuls à défendre les intérêts québécois. Pourquoi le Bloc et le Parti québécois essaient-ils de nous demander de choisir entre nos deux identités? (…) Pourquoi?” Lucienne ROBILLARD, Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá

31 “…en tant que Québécoise, je suis très fière de voir que mes collègues parlementaires de partout au pays sont prêts à reconnaître la spécificité du Québec. Cela fait vraiment chaud au coeur à l'ensemble des Québécois et des Québécoises. ” Lucienne ROBILLARD, Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá

32 “ Comme d'habitude, ils [los jefes independentistas] veulent jouer de la confusion des mots pour introduire la confusion dans les esprits” Stéphane DION, Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá

33 “Cette motion ne réglera pas le problème de l'unité, et nous devons nous assurer Stéphane DION, Cámara de los Comunes Parlamento Federal de Canadá qu'elle n'entraîne pas une détérioration de l'unité canadienne. J'implore tous ceux qui croient dans le Canada de ne pas accorder trop d'importance à ce genre de motion. Je ne crois pas que ce soit la meilleure façon de promouvoir notre pays. Ce n'est pas ce que je souhaite faire, mais (…) je dois réagir aujourd'hui à cette motion (…)"

34 “That this House recognize that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada” “Que cette Chambre reconnaisse que les Québécoises et les Québécois forment une nation au sein d'un Canada uni” Parliament of Canada House of Commons

35 “És per aixó que, sense cap més eina que la democràcia, defensem el dret a decidir sense mes límit que el que marqui en cada moment el poble de Catalunya”

36 “Coherents a definir Catalunya com una nació i a situar la democràcia com un valor absolut, apostem pel dret a decidir per assolir l’autogovern que el poble de Catalunya reclama i necessita per viure millor”

37 “ The argument that the Constitution may be legitimately circumvented by resort to a majority vote in a province-wide referendum is superficially persuasive, in large measure because it seems to appeal to some of the same principles that underlie the legitimacy of the Constitution itself, namely, democracy and self-government. (…)

38 “(...) However, closer analysis reveals that this argument is unsound, because it misunderstands the meaning of popular sovereignty and the essence of a constitutional democracy (par. 75) ”

39 The democratic vote, by however strong a majority, would have no legal effect on its own and could not push aside the principles of federalism and the rule of law, the rights of individuals and minorities, or the operation of democracy in the other provinces or in Canada as a whole. Democratic rights under the Constitution cannot be divorced from constitutional obligations.

40 "a functioning democracy requires a continuous process of discussion" (par. 68) Reference re on the Secession of Quebec [1998] 2 SCR 217

41 “"Those who quite legitimately insist upon the importance of upholding the rule of law cannot at the same time be oblivious to the need to act in conformity with constitutional principles and values, and so do their part to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of an environment in which the rule of law may flourish." (par. 95)

42 “The Scottish referendum had shown the danger of ceding too much ground to your opponents. If you sit back and wait till the other lot have taken so much ground; then you’re on the back foot” he said. “You pay a heavy price.” Mr. Alistair DARLING, MP Leader of Better Together ( )

43 “(…) if passion alone was not enough to realise independence, reason alone will not be enough to save the Union in the longer term. The idea of Union has to find its way back into Scots’ hearts – and that’s going to be a long journey. And there are big risks to be overcome”. Adam TOMKINS: “One year on (…nearly)”, in Notes from North Britain. On Law, Politics and the British Constitution (Blog)

44 ¿Es más difícil lograr la reforma de la Constitución española que la independencia de Cataluña?

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47 “Catalunya no ha produit, ni per ara pot produir, cap altre tipus de politic que l’agitador, propens a la protesta com el mateix poble i destre en aprofitar qualsevol motiu d’ordre sentimental per a fer por al adversari mentre duri la foguerada” Amadeu HURTADO ( )

48 “… la historia politica de Catalunya s’ha descabdellat sempre amb aquest mateix patró i al mateix ritme (…) Però aquesta vegada semblava que pel fet de tenir el Govern d’una Catalunya autònoma s’havia d’anar amb més compte…”

49 “… materialmente el separatismo requiere, como obra humana, como problema a resolver y como plan a ejecutar, un esfuerzo infinitamente mayor que el exigido por el intento de influir en la marcha del Estado español y modificarlo”

50 “El separatista cree que es imposible entenderse con el resto de los españoles, y para remediar esta situación, propone una cosa más difícil todavía, que es el desentenderse violentamente de ellos.” Agustí CALVET, Gaziel ( )

51 “No se siente capaz de hacer el esfuerzo necesario para influir en España, y en cambio sueña con el gigantesco propósito de escapar en absoluto a su influencia formidable”

52 “Para salir de una dificultad crea una mayor. Pero, ¿si faltan fuerzas para resolver la más pequeña cómo van a tenerse para la máxima?” Agustí CALVET, Gaziel ( )

53 “el separatismo (…) no hizo más que deshacer lo hecho, acarreando la anulación o destrucción de lo conseguido, y dejando a Cataluña desolada e inerme, sin la más vaga, sin la más remota, sin la más quimérica compensación.”

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