A fiscal path to sovereignty? The Basque Economic Agreement and nationalist politics

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Bilateral Spanish-Basque relations over the Basque model of near fiscal autonomy (Concierto Económico or Economic Agreement) have been characterized by more tension than harmony since the 1980s. The main source of discord lies in different conceptions of the model: while the Basque nationalists seek increasing fiscal autonomy verging on sovereignty within Europe, Spanish governments see it as a form of fiscal decentralization within Spain remaining subordinate to Spanish legislation. These different conceptions cannot easily co-exist in a loose relationship of mutual tolerance because the development of the model continues to bring them into conflict, feeding into the broader political clash over how best to accommodate the Basque region within or with Spain.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)63-82
Number of pages20
JournalNationalism and Ethnic Politics
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Mar 2015

Bibliographical note

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Nationalism and Ethnic Politics on 13/3/15, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13537113.2015.1003489

Also published as chapter 4 of the book version of the journal special issue: Contesting Spain? The dynamics of nationalist movements in Catalonia and the Basque Country (Routledge, 2015)

Keywords

  • Spain
  • Basque Country
  • fiscal decentralization
  • autonomous communities
  • regional politics
  • political economy
  • nationalism

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