Immense legal and economic roadblocks lie in the way of any move toward independence. And then of course, there are the politicians.
Spain
Must-Reads from Around the World
On deck for Wednesday: Three Vietnamese bloggers get sentenced to jail for speaking out on corruption, South Korea faces a debt crisis, and protests roil Europe
Barcelona Warns Madrid: Pay Up, or Catalonia Leaves Spain
Hundreds of thousands march for Catalan independence as economic pressure boosts secessionist sentiment
The Ecce Homo Dilemma: Spain Puzzles over an Art Disaster Gone Viral
After a failed restoration job made international front pages, conservationists, art critics and tourism officials all have their opinion on what to do with the fresco
In Autumn’s Challenges, a Series of Existential Crises for the Euro
The fate of the euro will be repeatedly tested in coming weeks, as the European Central Bank, markets, legal experts and politicians all weigh in from opposing sides in the struggle to preserve the tormented common currency
French President Hollande Embarks on His Own Mission Impossible
Under fire for not moving faster to mend France’s economy, Socialist President François Hollande is both pushing for further stimulus spending while also trying to slash budgets.
How France Is a Microcosm for the Euro-Zone Crisis
Renewed urban violence in France and continuing instability of the euro offer reminders that economic disparities and widening divisions can only be remedied through the difficult work of integration
Spain’s Creative Protests: Flamenco Flash Mobs and Supermarket Robin Hoods
Angry demonstrations are one thing, but the irate in Spain are stomping their flamenco heels at banks and robbing supermarkets to give to the poor
Europe’s Good News: Economic Decline Is Bad, but Could Be Worse
A flurry of new economic data in Europe indicates that the slide of the euro zone toward recession isn’t as rapid as some had expected — though it is still steady enough to represent a major threat to the global economy
Austerity May Begin to Toll for France As Well
A big French carmaker makes painful cuts even as it grows increasingly clear that Hollande may have to inflict austerity on France.
Austerity Bites: How the Remedy May Just Make Things Worse for Spain
The Rajoy government’s stringent new measures to bring down the country’s deficit may just suppress the economic forces that might propel growth
Beyond Soccer: The Poignance (and Royalty) of Spain’s Soft Power
The Spanish Bourbons have their fair share of controversy, but Crown Prince Felipe and his wife show that the Spanish brand isn’t limited to the football pitch
La Roja‘s Stunning Euro 2012 Success Enthralls a Depressed Spain
Spain’s national soccer team wins an unprecedented third-straight international title with Sunday’s 4-0 European Championship win over Italy, and gives fans new reason for joy–and hope–amid the crushing euro crisis.