What does the Catalonian narrative mean for the world?

In the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king, a common saying Catalonia, in last few months an interesting narrative has been taking place, exposing an inflection point in the World liberal order state-of-affairs, which after several electoral failures worldwide is facing one of its greatest threats: generalized chaos. The news of challenging politician confronting the socalled status-quo now appears more often than ever before, revealing that the institutions that once regulate the international and national political sphere seen to be now about to expire, thus chaos might be reaching. As we all known chaos might function as a ladder for those with a savvier vision in chaotic scenarios. Chaos in the XXI century means weak international institutions, thus a constant difficulty to solve the international situation.

As in the 1937 Spanish Civil war, Catalonia is now the battleground in which antagonist views of the current international order are taking place

As in the 1937 Spanish Civil war, Catalonia is now the battleground in which antagonist views of the current international order are taking place. On one hand, the liberal order regionally championed by the European Union institutions, which after a traumatic Brexit election, now fears that an independent Catalonia not only will weaken the Spain’s State but also will tigers a domino effect in the historically hyper-regionalist Europe. On the other hand, represented by Russia’s Putin, who sworn the Presidency in a frustrated post-soviet Russia and now is one of the most prominent political figures in the world. Inside Europe, this vision is represented by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban famously recognized by statements like “the era of liberal democracies is over”.

On the official arena, Russia has not yet supported Catalonia independence, calling the event as an “internal matter”, but condemning Spaniard usage of force to repress votes, aiming to show a neutral position on the situation. Nonetheless, in the soft power level nothing could be different, according to David Alandete recent publication in the Spaniard newspaper, El PAIS “the Russian interfering communications machinery call Russia Today (RT) in less than a month have published 42 headlines, many misinforming the audience about the European responds to an independence outcome”. At the end, a weaker Europe means more opportunities for Russia to expand its influence over the continent to obtains its wanted new buffer zone, as always Russian leaders think geopolitically.

Thought populism is becoming the trending word when referring to this political development, we cannot forget, as we have seen it in Venezuela and the Philippines, that this political maneuver is only a mean to a major goal. In the Catalonian case to reduce international governance as we know it creates the space to a more authoritarian manage of the world affairs. Therefore, now is time for those who believe in the liberal international institutions to support more autonomy for Catalonia but within Spain and the European Union, and not letting the one-eyed man take advantage of the chaos.

Latin American Post | Francisco Jiménez

* Writer’s opinion does not represent this newspaper

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