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7 independence movements that have the potential to destroy the EU (Catalonia is just the start)
The Duran ^ | 10/05/2017 | by Alex Christoforou

Posted on 10/05/2017 9:02:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Catalonia continues to press on with its independence movement, much to the dismay of Spain and the European Union. Catalonia is not the only region in the EU demanding more autonomy or independence.

Here are seven regions in the European Union that may seek separation, and cause more fragmentation in an already weakened Europe.

1. Scotland, Britain

In 2014, Scotland had a historic referendum on leaving the United Kingdom resulting in a narrow 55 percent vote against leaving the UK.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, head of the pro-independence Scottish National Party, is now calling for a second referendum once Britain’s exit from the EU becomes clear.

Scotland is home to 5.2 million people and has been semi-autonomous since 1998 with a devolved parliament that handles matters of education, health, environment and justice.

Diplomacy and defense remain under the control of London.

Sturgeon openly condemned the Spanish police violence during the Catalonia independence vote.

2. Flanders, Belgium

Housing the center of EU oligarchy, Belgium is anything but a unified state.

Created 1830 as an independent nation to act as a buffer between France and Germany, Belgium is a mix of a Flemish-speaking, conservative northerners and  French, left-leaning southerners.

The Flemish nationalist sentiment is more powerful than ever, and the separatist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) is now one of the biggest party in Belgium, and a key partner in the coalition government.

The N-VA is pushing for the creation of a Flemish republic, and during the 2018 elections, it may have its chance.

Flanders’ Minister-President Geert Bourgeois called on the Spanish government to start talks with “the legitimate leaders of a peaceful people”.

3. Basques, Spain

Separatist group ETA was founded in 1959 to promote the interests of the Basque region. later turning into a violent independence campaign blamed for 829 deaths.

ETA carried out its last attack in 2010. It has since disarmed in April of this year.

ETA members have now joined a Franco-Spanish Basque political party called Sortu that is working for “full freedom” for Basque’s 2.2 million population.

40,000 people demonstrated in Bilbao in support of Catalonia’s referendum.

The regional president, Inigo Urkullu, called for the recognition of the Catalan and Basque nations.

4. New Caledonia, France

Under French rule since 1853, New Caledonia reached an agreement in 1998 with Paris for greater autonomy, although many activists say autonomy has not been fully granted.

New Caledonia has on-fourth of the world’s known resources of nickel, but as is the case with most colonial relationships, wealth is properly shared.

5. Corsica, France

Corsica is a Mediterranean island with a population of 330,000 people. It is part of France with its own language.

The separatist National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC) ended its armed struggle in June 2014, and has now pushed for a political solution to its demands.

Since 2015 nationalists have been leading the island’s assembly, as Corsica currently has a special administrative status that affords it certain powers, and retains strong autonomy.

The Corsica assembly highlighted “the indisputable legitimacy of the government of Catalonia”.

6. Faroe Islands, Denmark

With a population of 48,000, Denmark’s Faroe Islands will hold a referendum in April 2018 on a new constitution that would give the islands self-determination.

Faroe Islands have been autonomous since 1948.  Foreign affairs and defense are under the control of Copenhagen.

7. Lombardy and Veneto, Italy

These wealthy regions in northern Italy are set to hold non-binding consultative referendums on October 22, asking voters if they favor more autonomy from Italy’s central government.

Politicians in Lombardy and Veneto, which combined account for nearly a third of Italy’s economy, demand a bigger share of tax income.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: eu; independence; secession
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1 posted on 10/05/2017 9:02:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

And then you have those 50 United States... All of whom could succeed from the Union. People are getting dumber and dumber.


2 posted on 10/05/2017 9:06:53 AM PDT by jerod (Nazi's were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: SeekAndFind

This is so silly. You may be able to declare independence from your host country, but you can NEVER escape the coils of the EU. /S


3 posted on 10/05/2017 9:08:31 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (White is the new Black.)
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To: jerod

More independence, more competition, more freedom, more human thriving. Decentralization or decentralization. George Soros is not happy about independence movements. So silly to want to responsibility and power to people far away. Sheeple.


4 posted on 10/05/2017 9:10:12 AM PDT by all the best
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To: jerod

More independence, more competition, more freedom, more human thriving. Decentralization or decentralization. George Soros is not happy about independence movements. So silly to want to responsibility and power to people far away. Sheeple.


5 posted on 10/05/2017 9:10:15 AM PDT by all the best
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To: SeekAndFind

People don’t want this new world order crap. They want their own culture and people and to hell with the others. border s language and culture.


6 posted on 10/05/2017 9:12:42 AM PDT by raiderboy ( "...if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall.”)
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To: SeekAndFind

Everyone deserves their own S***hole!


7 posted on 10/05/2017 9:13:10 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: SeekAndFind

Daniel 2:41-43 ...’And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken?. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.’


8 posted on 10/05/2017 9:16:18 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks SeekAndFind.
Scotland had a historic referendum on leaving the United Kingdom resulting in a narrow 55 percent vote against leaving the UK.
And when the 55 percent is for Obama, it counts as a landslide. 55 to 44.x is not a narrow victory, particularly since the cooked books polling leading up to the referendum was pushed as showing a five percent margin of victory for what turned out to be the losing side. Silesia, an odd partly German, partly Slavic/Polish enclave stitched into Poland by the USSR after WWII, has been seeking greater autonomy, but the Polish government doesn't go for that. I would like to see it, but as with any of these, the majority in the geographic area are not in favor or couldn't care less.
9 posted on 10/05/2017 9:42:55 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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To: SeekAndFind

Scotland doesn’t want to leave the EU. Look at how they voted against Brexit. They don’t love the UK but they adore the EU.


10 posted on 10/05/2017 9:52:44 AM PDT by mistfree (It's a very uncreative man who can't think of more than one way to spell a word.)
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To: mistfree

Scotland has had better relations with western Europe than England since the Romans went away.


11 posted on 10/05/2017 10:12:13 AM PDT by jimtorr
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To: mistfree

Scotland lives on welfare payments collected from wealthy taxpayers in England. If they left the UK, they wouldn’t be able to pay their bills.


12 posted on 10/05/2017 10:13:03 AM PDT by proxy_user
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To: SeekAndFind
You see secessionist movements in places where government rule is seen as excessive, or financially inefficient.

This country hasn't had any serious secessionist movement in more than 150 years because it's the one country in the world that probably still offers the best combination of circumstances that most people would value: (1) modern affluence, and (2) the ability to be left alone if you desire.

13 posted on 10/05/2017 10:13:22 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("Tell them to stand!" -- President Trump, 9/23/2017)
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To: raiderboy

In most of these cases, not all of them...the chief sticking point is that various regions are producing a heck of a lot of tax revenue which goes into a national pot, and they (the high-producer region) aren’t getting their fair share back. This is Catalonia’s big issue, and from the European map shown....I’d say at least eight of these other regions have the same problem.

I would say this as well...almost none of these regions have any interest in producing a military if they are allowed split off, and that savings will pour right back into streets, bridges, harbors, railways, etc.

Now, if you asked me in twenty years....will some disorder occur and peace be threatened? Probably an overwhelming possibility.


14 posted on 10/05/2017 10:30:59 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Pearls Before Swine
This is so silly. You may be able to declare independence from your host country, but you can NEVER escape the coils of the EU. /S


15 posted on 10/05/2017 10:35:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SunkenCiv

Silesia belonged to Germany until 1945 when it was given to Poland—at the same time Stalin took large chunks of Eastern Poland (where much of the population was White Russian or Ukrainian). The Germans fled from Silesia and the area was resettled by Poles. If any Germans are there now they are probably not very numerous.


16 posted on 10/05/2017 10:50:49 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: Verginius Rufus

Not German, Silesian.

http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/berlin/article/upper-silesia-torn-between-poland-germany-and-dreams-of-autonomy.html

https://www.ft.com/content/7ff14a52-74a2-11e3-9125-00144feabdc0

http://www.voxeurop.eu/en/content/article/578111-irreducible-autonomy-silesia

http://www.google.com/search?q=Silesian%20Autonomy&spell=1&ie=UTF-8


17 posted on 10/05/2017 11:09:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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To: jimtorr

Scotland didnt exist in Roman times, there were no Scots there. The rest of Britain that had a Celtic population continued to enjoy trade with western and Mediterranean Europe.


18 posted on 10/05/2017 11:36:54 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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To: SeekAndFind

California here in the USA...


19 posted on 10/05/2017 12:01:36 PM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Proud to be a DeplorableAmerican with a Deplorable Family...even the dog is DEPLORABLE :-))
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To: SunkenCiv; Verginius Rufus
Not German, Silesian.

German, not Polish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsmannschaft_Schlesien

They've been quiet, though, for the past few years, AFAIK.

20 posted on 10/05/2017 12:52:31 PM PDT by Moltke (Reasoning with a liberal is like watering a rock in the hope to grow a building)
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