French of Perpignan offer to host Catalonian government in exile

https://www.thelocal.fr/20171024/french-catalans-offer-to-host-government-in-exile-as-tensions-rise-in-spain  Quoting:

French backers of Catalonia's possible secession from Spain plan to "offer hospitality to president Carles Puidgemont to lead a government-in-exile in Perpignan," a southern [south-eastern] French city with deep Catalan roots, a statement said on Monday

Catalan separatists have threatened "mass civil disobedience" if Madrid carries out threats to depose their leaders, including Puidgemont, as tensions rise over a bid to sever the region from Spain.

"We feel that Europe has not been playing its role," said Jaume Roure, the head of Unitat Catalana which seeks self determination for French Catalans. "As the storms are gathering, we have asked people ... to see if they can host the Catalan government and those people who are forced to leave," he said, speaking of Perpignan, the capital of France's Pyrenees-Orientales department which acts as a bridge between Barcelona and the south of France.
 
The region was for centuries a part of Catalonia and only became French in the latter half of the 17th century. Several Catalan Republicans fled to this region from Spain during the long dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.


Map: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ICifIpYJQbs/TsUBhQR3ymI/AAAAAAAACRg/AfohIAiL_e4/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/south-of-france-map.gif

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20444110 Seletively quoting:


Like towns and cities across the country, Laroque has a Rue du 14 Juillet and a Place de la Republique as well. But there is one difference. Whereas French street signs are usually blue and white, in Laroque the text is bright red, set against a rich yellow background - the colours of Catalonia. This bustling place with a rough-and-ready bar sitting just around the corner from a Michelin-starred restaurant and three bakers competing for business, is just a few miles from the Spanish border. Or to be more precise, the border with Catalonia, where a well-established nationalist movement has a support base that is rapidly growing.

Historically the Principality of Catalonia straddled the modern border. But after the French beat Spain at the Battle of Dunkirk in 1658, a treaty ceded the northern parts of Catalonia to the French crown, and the area has remained under the control of Paris ever since. But in Laroque and communities across the region, locals have never forgotten their heritage. Around 30% of the population here speak Catalan, with more than 50% able to understand it. It is just a short drive to Perpignan - the second biggest Catalan city, after Barcelona.

A few blocks from the station are the local offices of the CDC, the Catalan political party that leads the coalition in power, in Barcelona. But it is a force here as well, with 30 elected representatives, including nine mayors. "The French government is too centralist," says Jordi Vera, leader of the French part of the CDC, and a Perpignan city councillor. "Paris is 500 miles (800km) away. Barcelona is our capital."

. . . But even if Catalonia eventually becomes a sovereign state, Vera does not see Perpignan and the surrounding area becoming a part of it - ceding from France is not on the agenda. "What we want is a new relationship so that business, trade, transport and tourism can be co-ordinated across the region," he says.

There is much to gain. This is one of the poorest parts of France - Catalonia is one of the richest parts of Spain.

I hate that regionalist. France is one country, it’s not like Spain, Italy or Germany.
Theses peoples are stupids and crazy.
They want to be linked with Catalonia because it’s the richest part of Spain but doesn’t want to be linked with Paris région who are the richest part of all Europe. Where the logic here ? It’s only politicians who wants more power.
France, like England, is centralized country with bigs metropolis cities. It’s end of story.

Spain or Germans lander are way very different things, or Scotland in UK.
Thoses debates who appears since few weeks here, in France, are totally non sense.

These regionalist movements we have in some European countries now made me think: "There were reasons why these regions became united in the first palce, mainly security." But then I thought: "Or was it just lords and kings forging nations for the power and the glory of it?". But I think security and defence are still good reasons for countries to stay whole and I think most of them will.

Yes, I think the same thing. And these regions, without the states in which they are integrated, would be economically condemned.
But I find the attitude of the Catalans extremely egoistic.
Many want a burial because they estimate that they pay for the rest of Spain, representing 20% of Spanish GDP.
And this is where we touch the problems of the autonomous regions, the cement of national unity is fragile in these countries.
It is also seen in Italy, where Lombardy, headed by Milan, wants to break away from the rest of the country, less rich.
Soon will be what, the Catholic Bavaria with Munich who wishes to separate from the rest of Germany?
So many people can criticize France and England for their centralization, but never the Region Paris or Greater London would think to act of independence.