Secessionist movements in Europe: a comparative study of the Scotland and Catalonia cases within the EU Framework

Abstract

The Scottish and the Catalonian secessionist movements have both acted as crucial factors to the political developments within the respective states, United Kingdom and Spain. These movements have also stimulated a -hitherto only theoretical- discussion within the European Union regarding the aftermath of a possible secession of a member state’s territory, and especially the legal and political implications in the relation of the “new” state with the Union. This essay will present the gaps and challenges that exist in the EU level with regard to the legal framework, the extent of the legal acquis on such issues, and the respective potentials; furthermore, it will examine the historical development of each movement, the relevant legal and constitutional framework in each country as well as the political outcomes of the quite recent developments, trying to identify similarities and differences between the two cases.