A groundbreaking recent speech by Artur Mass, the new leader of Catalonia’s regional assembly’s ruling nationalists, demanded a “single administration” controlled by a regional government, which could have its own representation to the European Union and other international bodies. Such an administration would also have the final say on the region’s public finances. The Catalans want Spain to see them as a “nation”, and seek to assert powers beyond their current limited control of only parts of the public administration. Mass’s call for “shared sovereignty” comes in the wake of similar recent demands by the Basque regional premier.
