The standoff over Catalan independence from Spain has split not only the region and country, but Europe as a whole.
That's because this issue raises a bigger question: when is it appropriate for a region of a larger geopolitical entity to secede? What criteria should be used to decide the legitimacy of a secession bid?
Secession is a battle over the fundamental question of "who has the right to govern whom?".
Two basic positions have gained prominence: 'choice' theory, whi...
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Matthew is EUobserver's Opinion Editor. He joined EUobserver in June 2018. Previously he worked as a reporter for The Guardian in London, and as editor for AFP in Paris and DPA in Berlin.