Section 143 In the exercise of the right to self-government recognized in section 2 of the Constitution, bordering provinces with common historic, cultural and economic characteristics, insular territories and provinces with a historic regional status may accede to self-government and form Self-governing Communities (Comunidades Autónomas) in conformity with the provisions contained in this Part and in the respective Statutes. The right to initiate the process towards self-government lies with all the Provincial Councils concerned or with the corresponding inter-island body and with two thirds of the municipalities whose population represents at least the majority of the electorate of each province or island. These requirements must be met within six months from the initial agreement reached to this aim by any of the local Corporations concerned. If this initiative is not successful, it may be repeated only after five years have elapsed.
What would be the result? Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
Some of the Spanish regions have little historical basis as well. What unique heritage does Murcia have, or what about La Rioja? Northern England and Souther England have a far more prominent divide. The Midlands may as well be a different country from the Southeast politically. In the British Journal of Political Science there was a piece about the "neighborhood effect", how people from Southern England who moved north and vice versa came to reflect the political leanings of their neighbors.
That's huge in terms of the practical impact of these nationalist divides. Labour loses 41 of Scotland's 59 seats of Scotland goes on its own. Losing Wales and Cornwall has a similiar effect. And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
That's exactly why the constitiution says "bordering provinces with common historic, cultural and economic characteristics, insular territories and provinces with a historic regional status".
To be fair, the intent of the "Fathers of the Constitution" was that the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and Andalusia, and maybe the islands, would organise themselves as Autonomous Communities and the rest would remain under the uunitary state, but I suppose the rush not to be the last province to be left out of Autonomy should have been a predictable outcome.
This was called "coffee for everyone" in a disparaging way, but I think by diluting the confrontation of the peripheral regions with a large "Spanish" unit, it actually helps fend off partition as a serious prospect. The Basques have a very advanced level of self-government already, and many of the poorer regions have benefitted immensely from having a strong intermediate level of government with the ability to engage in infrastructure development. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
However ... London Could be half a dozen diverse communities ruled by Ken I. Similarly Lake District, Cornwall, Yorkshire (by dale, but probably most of it together), the "Riviera", The Geordie Republic on Tees ...
Realistically the South-East with London would remain one, which would make the rest of the country either very poor or dependent on tourism if they broke away. -----sapere aude
