GDP means squat to the man in the street whos starving with no welfare / medical care , Saudi has a GDP of around $25,500 but I doubt you could find a Spaniard who would swop lives with a Saudi

Xenophobia is a dislike or fear of people from other countries

Can it be called Xenophobia when it only applies to one person from a different country?

I doubt it, there is no real political pressure for independence here. I don't think the PA even got any seats at the last election.

Has VV played for Spain then?

I see the self-determinationists have gone quiet on the subject ...

Depends which Saudi

Yes, VV played just the other day against Saudi Arabia, only has about 10 caps

At the moment no there isnt appetite for independence, but if they see Catalonia go, then probably the Basque country would be next. Then the rest of them will be thinking about whether they want to be "dictated to" from Madrid.

Andalucian and Castillian culture is quite different. The question would be whether the Andaluces could get over their inferiority complex and have the confidence to do it

I think Spain would be better run either with greater central power or with no central power. The current hotch potch on nobody knowing whether decisions should be driven regionally or centrally just means that nobody takes responsability for their actions

I didn't see the Saudi match but Georgia gave us a bit of a scare!

I agree, the current system is a complete mess. Then there are the diputaciones at province level, the ayuntamientos at town level, and various other bodies like comarcas and mancomunidades all putting their oars in - half a million politicians altogether!

Why would you be expecting them to say anything?

If we think that corruption is bad in Spain now then I can't imagine what it would be like if the regions went their separate ways.

One of the arguments the Spanish use to promote the idea of the Euro is that under the Euro corruption in Spain is slowly being forced into the open.

Just wondered, because you thought self-determination was the right thing for Gibraltarians and Falkand Islanders, whether you think it is right for Cataluña too, given that the separatists are now in a majority?

Yes - can't think of any reason why not - provided, of course, that the separatists are fully informed of what the consequences of secession would be. It's easy for the Gibraltarians and Falklanders - they wish to remain with the status quo which is of course a known quantity. Not so with Catalunya and Scotland. But in the end it's up to them.