Plurinational reality of the Spanish state and the role of the sub-state level entities in the European context

Abstract

There is much debate about the plurinationality of the Spanish State, but perhaps not so much about the concept of «Spain». The difference between being a state and being a stateless nation is that, the former, should not question identity models. International recognition gives the States a determined color on a map and a nationality for citizens, which prevents a large part of its population
from asking questions such as, what is its nation, who is part of it or why are they emotionally linked to it. Semantics are important, and the concept of nation can be interpreted very differently in different territories of the Spanish State. The understanding by all parties of what they all understand by nation, country or state, may be one of the keys that can open an opportunity for mutual understanding from which a serene and democratic debate can take place on concepts such as Multi-nationality or the right to decide. In turn, in the
21st century, all these concepts are in constant debate in different States of the European Union, so that the debate on the fitting from stateless nations in the EU, or even the fitting of the right to decide in the European framework, should also be taken into account.