Catalonia's Quest for Self-Government Explained — Marc Sanjaume-Calvet

17. 3. 2026

In this interview, political scientist and associate professor of political science at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Marc Sanjaume-Calvet, examines the constitutional status of Catalonia, the distribution of powers within the Spanish state, and the evolving debates surrounding Catalan autonomy and identity. The discussion also explores Catalonia’s external action, from its relations with the European Union and international organisations to the constraints imposed by Spanish constitutional law, including the legacy of the 2017 referendum and Article 155.

Marc Sanjaume-Calvet

Marc Sanjaume-Calvet is Associate Professor of Political Science at Pompeu Fabra University. He has also served as an advisor at the Self-Government Studies Institute, a research centre linked to the Government of Catalonia. His work sits at the crossroads of federalism, self-determination, and territorial conflict, with broader interests in national and ethnic conflicts. 

Publications:

Asymmetry as a Device for Equal Recognition and Reasonable Accommodation of Majority and Minority Nations. A Country Study on Constitutional Asymmetry in Spain

The Political Use of de facto Referendums of Independence The Case of Catalonia

Defensive Federalism: Protecting Territorial Minorities from the "Tyranny of the Majority"

The Exodus That Never Was? An Empirical Analysis on Territorial Conflict and Foot-Voting

The Politics of Independence Referendums: Never Mind the Ballots

Content

00:00 – Introduction
01:50 – Constitutional Status of Catalonia
05:21 – Identity and Demography in Catalonia
08:15 – Distribution of Competences
11:46 – The Future of Catalan Autonomy
16:10 – “Unity of Foreign Action” in Spanish Constitutional Law and Its Constraints on Regional Diplomacy
21:04 – Coordination and Tension between Catalonia’s External Action and Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
23:39 – Catalonia and the European Union
29:40 – International Agreements and Catalonia’s Network of External Delegations
33:53 – Catalonia’s Interaction with International Organisations and Multilateral Forums
37:51 – The 2017 Independence Referendum and Article 155
44:21 – Emerging Research Agendas in the Study of Catalonia’s Autonomy