Self-determination and independence movements in Europe

INTRODUCTION Traditio nally in E urope, the state has had ultimate authority. With the creation of the E uropean Union, however, states have delegated some authority and binding decisio n-n. 1aking power to supranational institutio ns. This shift in the power structure has not only led to the consolidati o n of control away from the state toward supranati onal institutio ns, but has also led to the arguably unintended devoluti o n of control away £i·onl the state towa rd regional governments (Loughlin 141). The state's relinquishing of power to the E uropean Union in many ways has served the interest of stateless nations l and independence seeking-groups. This paper will examine the role that the European Union has played for stateless nations and will show that the EU has granted these groups grea ter autonomy and representati on. It will then go on to examine how the EU can better address the needs of stateless nati ons based o n current trends and the desires of independence-seeking groups. M ost states in E urope are no t natio n states; states are often composed of two or m ore distinct nationalities,2 ye t in this organiza ti on of multiple natio nalities within one governing unit, one nationality almost inevitably asserts itself upon the others and becom es the d ominant culture of the country, relegJting the o thers to Ininori ty status Ooan i Marl 112). Stateless nations see g reat promise in the European Unio n because the EU is in many aspects a supranational institution that combines many languages, cultures, and nations under on e conunon governance-structure. Many of the E U member states are small countries, yet upon their accession to the Unio n , their voices and concerns becom e, at least in theory, equal with those o flarge member states such as France, the United Kingdom , and Germany. Thus stateless nations within m ember states see m embership in the E uropean Unio n as a golden opportunity fo r increased representation and autonomy. If a natio n as small as Malta, with but 400,000 citizens has the right to have its voice hea rd in the EU, then w hy n ot Catalonia, with 7 million citizens?