Princess Cristina’s Goodbye Certifies Spanish Retreat from Catalonia

The media may not have devoted much attention to the story, but the decision by Princess Cristina, one of the daughters of King Juan Carlos II of Spain, to leave Barcelona and move to Switzerland, is much more important than it seems at first. The Spanish Crown have never chosen to play the “Commonwealth” card. Now it would be too late, of course, but some years ago it could have been a way out of the current conflict, allowing Spain to save some face, letting Catalonia go in exchange for a few symbolic gestures. However, what the Spanish royal family did indeed do at some stage was to try to build a certain following in Catalonia, with a charm offensive that included the settling of Princess Cristina in Barcelona. Now her departure, at a time when Catalonia is pushing hard to regain her sovereignty, certifies that even at the highest levels of the Spanish regime Catalan independence is increasingly seen as inevitable.






Of course, a number of factors have resulted in her departure. It would be overtly simplistic to portray it as following a single reason. However, regardless of the extent to which personal and family circumstances, and her indictment in a criminal case, may have played, the end result is that the only member of the Spanish royal family based in Catalonia is leaving. Estranged from her husband, both charged with corruption, she may perhaps wish to start a new life, or simply stay away from the spotlight for a while. It does not really matter. She is leaving. Although in and by itself this may not be a dramatic development, it could well be seen in the coming months as a turning point. One by one, all potential connections between Spain and Catalonia are being severed. There are no joint projects, no joint dreams, no joint hopes. Instead, what we find is mutual fatigue, and on the Spanish side a constant stream of abuse, insults, and threats, also directed at the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. No relationship can endure this.




Catalan independence thus appears to informed observers as a growing certainty. The question is no longer whether but when and how. In particular this means deterring Spaniards from resorting to force, and arranging for a civilized apportioning of assets and liabilities. Although deeply unjust, Catalonia will, out of an innate sense of responsibility towards the international community, assume a portion of the Spanish national debt. Concerning military assets, it is in the interest of NATO and the maritime democracies that Catalonia takes over the bulk of the navy and the air force. Among others, this will guarantee that they are not employed against Gibraltar, or transferred to Argentina to threaten the Falklands, and instead are available to the Atlantic Alliance.






Let us thus say goodbye and Godspeed to Princess Cristina, and hello to a new hardworking, responsible, member of the international community and NATO.




By Alex Calvo