In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

Report
Nov 10, 2025

Italy’s policy on China: The Belt and Road gamble and its aftermath

By
Valbona Zeneli

From the Silk Road to the Belt and Road Initiative, Italy’s relationship with China has shifted from early enthusiasm to cautious recalibration. Once Europe’s gateway for Beijing’s ambitions, Rome now frames its China policy around transatlantic solidarity, balancing economic opportunity with strategic prudence.

China
Economy & Business

In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

Report
Nov 10, 2025

Greece’s policy on China: Debt-era deals and recalibration

By
Valbona Zeneli

From the port of Piraeus to Brussels, Greece’s China policy has evolved from enthusiastic engagement and post-crisis dependency to strategic caution. Today, Athens’s is balancing economic pragmatism with transatlantic security commitments.

China
Economy & Business

In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

Report
May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By
Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia

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New Atlanticist

Oct 11, 2017

In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Catalonia’s illegal independence referendum has thrown Spain into turmoil. In light of the escalating tensions, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is now toying with the idea of invoking the never-before-used Article 155 of the Spanish constitution that would suspend Catalonia’s regional autonomy. With a view to taking such action, Rajoy on October 11 asked the […]

European Union International Organizations

UkraineAlert

Oct 11, 2017

The Only Thing Catalonia and Crimea Have in Common Is the Letter C

By Diane Francis

A Bloomberg piece in October titled “Why Catalonia Will Fail Where Crimea Succeeded” by Russian writer Leonid Bershidsky is an example of moral equivalence run amok. He compares two completely unrelated events—referenda in Crimea and Catalonia—as though they bear any similarity, and as though they carry the same moral weight. “The Catalan situation draws comparisons […]

Russia Southern & Southeastern Europe

Event Recap

Oct 5, 2017

Brexit & the New Geopolitical Order – Moving Forward, Charting the Economic Relationship Between the UK, EU and the US

By Global Business & Economics Program

On Thursday, October 5, 2017, the Atlantic Council co-hosted a Brexit seminar, in collaboration with the British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Oct 4, 2017

The Catalonian Jigsaw: Where to Now?

By Alvaro Morales

The controversial conditions surrounding Catalonia’s recent independence referendum show that a unilateral declaration of independence does not embody the will of the people, no matter how much Catalan nationalists claim otherwise.  Long-standing tensions between the Spanish government and the Spanish region of Catalonia rose to a climax on October 1 as Catalans went to the […]

Southern & Southeastern Europe

In the News

Oct 4, 2017

Castello Joins KQED Radio to Discuss Catalonia Independence Referendum

By Carles Castello-Catchot

Listen to the full discussion here.

Southern & Southeastern Europe

Defense Industrialist

Oct 3, 2017

The military implications of Catalonian secession—an update

By James Hasik

assuming that Catalonia was admitted to NATO, what would the newly independent country contribute? At the 2014 Strategic Foresight Forum at the Atlantic Council, Anne Marie Slaughter of the New America Foundation opined that an independent Catalonia would do a fine job of defending itself. After all, Catalonia is a country of over 7 million people, with more than $300 billion in GDP. Spending just 1.6% of that—well below the widely-ignored NATO threshold, of course—provides over $4.5 billion annually. y de-emphasizing the military forces that any landlocked country will have, and instead steering investments towards those it is comparatively positioned to provide, Catalonia could punch above its weight in European political affairs.

Defense Policy Eastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2017

Future Tense: What Next for Catalonia?

Catalonia’s controversial independence referendum has left Spain with many unanswered questions and an unclear path forward, according to Carles Castello-Catchot, chief of staff in the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. On October 1, the regional government of Catalonia in northern Spain went ahead with a referendum that Spain’s constitutional court had deemed […]

Southern & Southeastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2017

EU Membership on the Line: Independence Would Prove Costly for Catalonia

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Catalonia would lose membership of the European Union (EU) if it were to declare independence from Spain—a development that would have serious economic consequences for this affluent region, according to the Atlantic Council’s Fran Burwell. “That means barriers will go up immediately; no free movement for people who have Catalan passports; no free movement of […]

European Union International Organizations

In the News

Oct 1, 2017

Ellinas in Cyprus Mail: Significant Role for Gas in Rapidly Changing Energy Mix

By Charles Ellinas

Read the full article here.

Southern & Southeastern Europe

In the News

Oct 1, 2017

Castello Joins Bloomberg’s El Financiero to Discuss the Secession Vote and Police Intervention in Catalunya

By Charles Castello-Catchot

Watch the full discussion here.

Southern & Southeastern Europe
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Experts

Fellow

Valbona Zeneli

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Albanian Corruption