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| Barcelona FC away Kit for 2013 |
With the fast developing political environment in Spain, Ibiza, is also reflecting the current fashionable movement for Catalan Independence. With news today, that the mighty Barcelona FC, will next season, play their away league games in the red and yellow colours of the Catalonian flag of Independence, Ibiza, in a current online survey is showing, a majority allegiance to the establishment of an Independent Catalan State. Over 50% of the people who responded in the survey, said that they would join a new Catalan state, if and when, it was established. Only 26%, said that they would prefer to remain in Spain, with a further 22% of the vote, stating that they would like to have local autonomy within a Catalan controlled state.
The move by Barcelona FC, who just yesterday, announced that the worlds greatest player, Lionel Messi would remain at the club until 2018, along with extended contracts for Xavi and Ibiza lover Puyol, is seen a clear statement of intent by the club, that it will support calls for a referendum on Catalan Independence in 2014…. regardless of whether Madrid allows it or not. The Clubs Motto is “Mes Que Un Club” translated as, more than just a club, and the Nou Camp, the spiritual home of the team, has long been seen as a powerful symbol of identity for the unique Catalan culture in Spain. In a recent blog, I touched on the cultural and DNA make up of Ibiza and suggested that a new generation of Ibicenco youth, are starting to imprint their ideology onto the social fabric of the Islands identity. This new generation, will most likely contain a strong Catalan influence and combined with the sweeping victory by Catalan Nationalists in regional elections last month, will only fuel the ambitions of its proud culture.
If a Catalan state was to establish itself, it is certain that Ibiza will benefit from the move. The current political situation, sees a diluted version of administration from Madrid via Palma, leaving Ibiza at the end of the food chain. Ibicencos (many of which are Catalan) have long criticised, what they see, as unfair distribution of budget funds from Palma to Ibiza. A Catalan state, would almost certainly look very favourably on Ibiza and allow it to develop its own unique identity, with direct support and encouragement. The Ibiza brand, if managed in the right way, could be an ideal propaganda tool for Catalan identity. Whether or not the online survey voting trends would stand up to an actual referendum campaign on the issue, is another matter, but I would personally feel, that Ibiza would be much more at home within an Independent Catalan State and that the majority of the people on the Island, would think that way too.
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