On the road to the Republic of Catalonia?

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero scored a victory this week when the Spanish parliament voted to consider a controversial statute that would give the residents in the rich northeastern region of Catalonia more automony over their political, fiscal and judicial affairs. Known in the regional Catalan language as the "Estatut," this mini declaration of rights has been at the center of a political storm for weeks between Spain´s liberal and conservative parties who disagree over what greater autonomy for Catalonia should entail. On Thursday, the Chamber of Deputies voted 197 to 146 to open negotiations with the Catalan regional government, which drafted and presented the statute to Madrid in September.

Among the touchy points, Spanish politicos are at loggerheads over Catalonia´s inclusion of a proposed clause stating that "Catalonia is a nation." After receiving a public bashing from different sectors who fear allowing the region to proclaim itself a nation would be the first step toward independence, Zapatero has instead proposed a different clause that reaffirms that Catalonia has its own "national identity."

During a passionate debate that lasted into the early hours of the morning on Thursday, Zapatero (seen in the AFP photo above speaking with his Defense Minister José Bono, right, prior to speaking in Congress) rejected that the statute would give residents broader powers over the constitution. He called on the opposition Popular Party and its leader Mariano Rajoy, who refuses to negotiate, to take any concerns they may have with the document to the Supreme Court. "That is why we have a democracy," said the Spanish prime minister, who is leader of the Socialist party. Rajoy said that the differences between statute and the national constitution are "so abysmal" that negotiations are impossible. The conservative leader has also threatened to call for early elections should statute negotiations fall apart in the coming months.

Barcelona, the seat of the Catalan government, is the second largest city in Spain and the country´s industrial capital. Any breakup of the Spanish constitutional monarchy as it is now could mean financial ruin for Spain. The Madrid government for years has been ignoring calls from the country´s autonomous regions for greater political power. Some of the demands have been less than peaceful pleas. In the northern Basque region, the separatist terrorist group ETA has claimed responsibility for the more than 300 deaths caused by bombing attacks since the 1980s.

Although he has been tough on terrorism, Zapatero has also been a proponent in opening dialogue with his country´s regional governments. During his election campaign, he promised greater autonomy for the Catalonia government -- a goal he appears to be accomplishing judging by last Thursday´s vote in parliament. But the prime minister still has the undaunting task in convincing many Spaniards that autonomy and independence are two separate situations with the latter being unacceptable.