Catalonia: Misleading rhetoric+Scaremongering tactics=Gridlock

As it happened in the Scottish referendum, we are seeing in the electoral campaign in Catalonia that the pro-independence groups are trying to sell an idillic vision of independence, very far away from any objective perspective. They even deny that an independent Catalonia would be automatically left out of the EU and would not even be a country recognized by the United Nations, at least for some time. The response of some of the parties opposed to independence is to try the opposite tactic of saying that everything will be dark and tragic in the case of independence. The thruth is that the prospect of independence creates great uncertainty, but nobody knows very well what independence means in the euro zone, here and now. In Catalonia, we do not have a White Book like in Scotland. We do not have any details about the monetary or military arrangements of the new state. But if the weak pro-independence campaign is only replied by scaremongering tactics what we have is a reinforcement of those that for sentimental reasons tend to support separation. What is needed is a positive project based on the values of federalism. Catalonia would be better in a Spain that improves its already existing federal structures and a Europe that completes its union and also achieves the true characteristics of a democratic federation. Many think that the solution to the gridlock is a yes-no referendum, but there are many reasons against this. The main one is that it would deepen the social division already existing in Catalonia, and it is difficult to think that it would be a good way to make a decision where the final characteristics of a final deal on something similar to independence are very difficult to present to the electorate. Better a new agreement, a federal reform of the current Constitution in the framework of a reformed euro-zone and European Union.