Centralisation and disgregation and public opinion: the future of the Spanish state of autonomies

Abstract

The Spanish model of decentralisation has been described by academics as a successful example of solving territorial questions under difficult circumstances. The original assessment is confronting with a reality that shows that in the last decade political forces and public opinions have changed the evaluation that made of this process. This paper analyses the evolution of the decentralisation model in Spain and assess the changes among the Spanish public with the presence of two opposite tendencies: a centrifugal one, in favour of increasing the level of autonomy moving towards confederative solutions; and a centripetal one, that defends the need of rationalising the state of autonomias increasing the capacity of the central government to legislate and coordinate the actions of the regions.