The emergence of a new independent country in the Iberian peninsula:

the Republic of Catalonia

 D.A.

The emergence of new economically and politically viable independent countries with international recognition is a periodic phenomenon at the international level, usually related to the outcome of armed conflicts, to the dismemberment of plurinational states or to processes of colonization of colonial empires.

Spain. is at the same time a historical nation, with its own political and geographical identity, and a plurinational state, with diverse regions that possess their own cultural elements. 
Some of these regions have a very strong identity that can lead, and in fact are leading, to concrete popular initiatives to achieve their separation (independence) from the Kingdom of Spain.

These initiatives have advanced considerably in Catalonia expressing itself in a strong independence movement that has created strong instabilities in the context of the Kingdom of Spain.

Faced with these initiatives (which included a plebiscite and strong popular demonstrations) that were reflected in all the international press, the government of Spain threatens to apply article 155 of the constitution that would lead to the central government assuming the direction and management of Catalonia.

This would include the dismissal of the Catalan leaders and the taking of control of the police, the Mossos d'Escuadra.

Apparently this is going to happen soon and this action is likely to translate into an increase in social tensions in the region.

Clearly, a significant part of the population of Catalonia wants to separate from Spain forming a republic, and strongly rejects both the monarchical regime and the bureaucratic centrality of the Madrid government.

Obtaining independence from Catalonia will not be easy.

There are antecedents of regions within constituted states that have tried to become independent of the state of which they are part with varied success.

 The separation of specific regions in States implies a profound modification of existing power relations and networks of interests, generating uncertainties and insecurities.

In fact, the new countries (from that point of view, Catalonia would be a "new country") are formed: after armed conflicts (in the case of the First and Second World Wars where several European states emerged or disappeared), the processes of decolonization (for example in the early 19th century in Latin America and in the mid-20th century in Africa and Asia) and the disarticulation of unstable states such as Yugoslavia and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In Latin America a score of states emerged, reproducing in large measure the frontiers of the former provinces of the Spanish Empire that have remained stable for more than a century.

Other Latin American states were the result of wars (for example, Cuba, due to the US war with Spain), or very strong political and / or military pressures (which led to the independence of the Colombian department of Panama, which became the Republic of Panama as a result of the future construction of a canal in that site.

In Africa, the new states were the consequence of the colonial partition with artificial limits, sometimes absurd, but relatively respected, even with the support of the Organization of African Unity itself. In the post-colonial period only a couple of new states were formed (South Sudan, Eritrea)

In the Soviet Union were former Soviet republics that became states (eg Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, etc.). The new republics had their own instabilities, and so there were several attempts at independence by regions within these same countries (eg South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia-Azerbaijan and Transdnistria in Moldova). These regions-states have not been recognized by the international community. Only a handful of governments have done so.

In Catalonia there was no war, nor disarticulation of the Spanish state, so it seems unlikely that this separation will take place. That would imply passing overhead to strong interests both in Spain and in Catalonia itself, which are opposed to the proposed secession.

Anyway, Catalan nationalism is very strong. Approximately half the population of Catalonia wants independence, at least emotionally.

Obviously, there are also ideological and political reasons in the Catalan independence movement,

In principle, it does not appear that the emotional, ideological, and political reasons are enough to break the network of existing interests and the political and institutional power structures built through decades of monarchist dynasties and Francoist power.

It is also clear that if the conflict escalates and elements of political violence begin to appear, new conditions can arise that radically change future political development and even end up promoting the consolidation of a new type of relationship between Catalonia and the Kingdom of Spain.