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Department of Comparative Politics
THE CATALONIA REFERENDUM

- Limited independence for breakaway states

Associate Professor Michaël Tatham says to Norwegian newspaper Klar Tale that even if certain regions in Europe were to become independent, close relations to the parent state and the EU would be maintained.

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Illustration photo: the EU and the Basque Country.
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Tatham, an associate professor with the Department of Comparative Politics, does research on regions in the EU, the EU political system, and public policy analysis. His early work focused on the evolution of the United Kingdom’s political system with a particular focus on devolution policies.  

 

Tatham says to Klar Tale that a number of regions within Europe want independence, including the Spanish Basques, the Flemish in Belgium, the French Corsicans, and groups within Northern Italy. Tatham points out that independence does not necessarily entail major changes: “Most of those who want independence say they still want EU membership. Then they will not be that independent, after all. They will also need a close relationship with the country they were a part of. So things will not be that different”.