Nationalities and regions of Spain

For information on the different ideologies and political movements, see National and regional identity in Spain.

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Spain is a diverse country integrated by contrasting entities with varying economic and social structures, languages, and historical, political and cultural traditions.[1][2] The Spanish constitution responds ambiguously to the claims of historic nationalities (such as the right of self-government) while proclaiming a common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards.[3]: 104 [4]

The terms nationalities[5][3][6][a] and historical nationalities,[5][3][b][c] though never officially defined, refer to territories whose inhabitants have a strong historically constituted identity; or, more specifically, certain autonomous communities whose statute of autonomy—their basic institutional legislation—recognizes their historical and cultural identity.[7]

In Spanish jurisprudence, the term nationality appears for the first time in the current constitution, approved in 1978 after much debate in the Spanish Parliament.[8][9] Although it was explicitly understood that the term referred to Galicia, the Basque Country, and Catalonia,[5][3][8][10] the constitution does not specify any communities by name. Between the strong centralist position inherited from Franco's regime and the nationalist position of the Galicians, Basques, and Catalans, a consensus developed around this term. It was applied in the respective statutes of autonomy once all nationalities and regions acceded to self-government or autonomy, and were constituted as autonomous communities.[8]

Several of the writers of the current Spanish Constitution have said that the concept of nationality is synonymous with nation. However, the Spanish Constitutional Court has explicitly ruled against this interpretation.

Currently, the term "nationality" is used in reference to Aragon, Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Andalusia. The rest of the autonomous communities (Castile-La Mancha, Murcia, La Rioja, Extremadura) are defined as historical regions of Spain. Asturias, Cantabria, and Castile and León are referred to as "historical communities". Navarre is defined as a chartered community in the re-institution of its medieval charters, and the Community of Madrid is defined as neither a nationality nor a region, but a community created in the nation's interest as the seat of the nation's capital. Catalonia was originally defined as a "nation" in the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006. However, the Constitutional Court of Spain declared that unconstitutional. The court considered that the references made, in the preamble of the statute, to Catalonia to a nation "lack legal effectiveness".[11]

  1. ^ Villar, Fernando P. (June 1998). "Nationalism in Spain: Is It a Danger to National Integrity?". Storming Media, Pentagon Reports. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  2. ^ Shabad, Goldie; Gunther, Richard (July 1982). "Language, Nationalism and Political Conflict in Spain". Comparative Politics. 14 (4). Comparative Politics Vol 14 No. 4: 443–477. doi:10.2307/421632. JSTOR 421632.
  3. ^ a b c d Keating, Michael (2007). "Federalism and the Balance of power in European States" (PDF). Support for Improvement in Governance and Management. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Inc. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  4. ^ Second article. Cortes Generales (27 December 1978). "Spanish Constitution". Tribunal Constitucional de España. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Sir Raymond Carr; et al. "Spain". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Devolution in Spain. Nationality not a nation". The Economist. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Nacionalidad" (in Spanish). Real Academia Española. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  8. ^ a b c Conversi, Daniele (2002). "The Smooth Transition: Spain's 1978 Constitution and the Nationalities Question" (PDF). National Identities, Vol 4, No. 3. Carfax Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference sinopsis2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference muro was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "BOE.es - BOE-A-2010-11409 Pleno. Sentencia 31/2010, de 28 de junio de 2010. Recurso de inconstitucionalidad 8045-2006. Interpuesto por noventa y nueve Diputados del Grupo Parlamentario Popular del Congreso en relación con diversos preceptos de la Ley Orgánica 6/2006, de 19 de julio, de reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña. Función y contenido constitucional del Estatuto de Autonomía: Estatuto de Autonomía y sistema de fuentes; bloque de constitucionalidad, valor interpretativo del Estatuto de Autonomía; fundamento de la autonomía; derechos fundamentales y derechos estatutarios; sistema institucional autonómico, organización territorial y gobierno local; Poder Judicial; delimitación del contenido funcional y material de las competencias; relaciones de la Generalitat de Cataluña con el Estado y la Unión Europea; acción exterior; financiación autonómica y local; reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía. Eficacia jurídica del preámbulo; nulidad parcial e interpretación de preceptos legales. Votos particulares". boe.es. Retrieved 20 July 2022.


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