Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities, one being Catalonia. The Catalan region of the country, with a population of 7.5 million, is one of the most economically developed and prosperous areas in all of Spain. Catalonia, which has its own culture and language apart from Spain, is currently trying to gain independence from Spain.

According to the BBC, Catalonia held an unofficial vote in November 2014 and 80 percent of Catalans voted for independence from Spain. The reason for these sentiments is very complicated. Many of the Catalan people believe the current economic and social situation in Spain is unfair and detrimental to their living conditions. The Catalan government claims that they give more in taxes than they receive, by nearly €11.1 billion. The Spanish government claims less of a discrepancy but still recognizes that one exists. Furthermore, there is debate over whether Spanish or Catalan should be taught as the primary language in schools. The Spanish government has allowed the teaching of the Catalan language but recently there have been certain sanctions to try to reintroduce the Spanish language.

Most importantly, Catalans simply feel as if they are not a part of Spain. Catalonian have their own identity, culture and language. This sentiment is most clearly manifested in soccer matches whenever the Barcelona football club lays. Almost every game there will be Catalan flags and, according to “The Guardian,” signs that say “Catalonia is not Spain.” The team has even been fined several times for the display of flags during their matches. Most Catalans want to be viewed as a separate group and want to preserve their culture as distinct from Spain.

As of now, the Spanish government has considered the Catalan vote as unconstitutional and have not recognized their independence. Giving them independence would affect Spain’s economy tremendously, so they are working hard to prevent it. The president of Catalonia, Artur Mas, is currently trying to foster support from countries such as the United States. Backed by the patriotic enthusiasm from the Catalan people, Catalonia may be a new nation in the near future.