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| Carme Chacón: 'I am Catalan, I am Spanish, I am European' | Carme Chacón: 'I am Catalan, I am Spanish, I am European' |
| (4 months later) | |
| Carme Chacón hails from Barcelona, but while her fellow Catalans fret about independence the former Socialist defence minister is widely seen as eyeing up a prize of her own – the title of Spain's first female prime minister. | Carme Chacón hails from Barcelona, but while her fellow Catalans fret about independence the former Socialist defence minister is widely seen as eyeing up a prize of her own – the title of Spain's first female prime minister. |
| The 41-year-old made her name as one of the female ministers in José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's famous government of parity – when Spain boasted a cabinet in which half the members were women. | The 41-year-old made her name as one of the female ministers in José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's famous government of parity – when Spain boasted a cabinet in which half the members were women. |
| But it was not until she took control of the defence ministry in 2008 while seven months pregnant that Spain really noticed her. "Order them to stand to attention, captain!" she barked before a ceremonial guard of soldiers and, more importantly, the television cameras. Spain suddenly realised Chacón, a former law lecturer, possessed a voice of command. | But it was not until she took control of the defence ministry in 2008 while seven months pregnant that Spain really noticed her. "Order them to stand to attention, captain!" she barked before a ceremonial guard of soldiers and, more importantly, the television cameras. Spain suddenly realised Chacón, a former law lecturer, possessed a voice of command. |
| "We had worked hard, and with little success, to improve her public standing while she was minister of housing," recalled one former personal image adviser. "But in that moment her popularity suddenly rocketed." | "We had worked hard, and with little success, to improve her public standing while she was minister of housing," recalled one former personal image adviser. "But in that moment her popularity suddenly rocketed." |
| Chacón is coy about her ambitions. She narrowly lost out on being named Socialist party leader this year, when the former deputy prime minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba took the party nomination at a party conference. | Chacón is coy about her ambitions. She narrowly lost out on being named Socialist party leader this year, when the former deputy prime minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba took the party nomination at a party conference. |
| But it is the Catalan question that has now shot to national prominence, and as a Catalan, a socialist and a believer in the political integrity of Spain, Chacón is determined to explode what she sees as myths about Catalonia's prospects. | But it is the Catalan question that has now shot to national prominence, and as a Catalan, a socialist and a believer in the political integrity of Spain, Chacón is determined to explode what she sees as myths about Catalonia's prospects. |
| She believes the sudden popularity of the independence movement is a reaction to crisis and austerity. "The impact of the economic crisis has had considerable impact, as has the self-serving propaganda, which paints a rather rose-coloured picture of Catalonia to the outside world," she said in an interview. She accused the Catalan president, Artur Mas, and his party, of using "the independence movement as a way of warding off the unpopularity that has affected all governments since the beginning of the crisis". | She believes the sudden popularity of the independence movement is a reaction to crisis and austerity. "The impact of the economic crisis has had considerable impact, as has the self-serving propaganda, which paints a rather rose-coloured picture of Catalonia to the outside world," she said in an interview. She accused the Catalan president, Artur Mas, and his party, of using "the independence movement as a way of warding off the unpopularity that has affected all governments since the beginning of the crisis". |
| Chacón disputes Mas's claims that life expectancy would be five years longer if Catalonia were independent, that traffic accidents would be halved and that separation would have no economic impact. | Chacón disputes Mas's claims that life expectancy would be five years longer if Catalonia were independent, that traffic accidents would be halved and that separation would have no economic impact. |
| "What he says is untrue," she says. "I think what we see here is a nationalist governor faced with an overwhelmingly difficult situation: 50% youth unemployment, 100,000 Catalan homes with no income whatsoever, a 60% increase in university fees, 40% of patients requiring urgent operation on waiting lists. The path he has chosen will not lead either the Catalans or Catalonia anywhere, but it does give him a personal let-out. He is not the first nationalist governor to turn to the enemy without in order to escape from his own responsibilities." | "What he says is untrue," she says. "I think what we see here is a nationalist governor faced with an overwhelmingly difficult situation: 50% youth unemployment, 100,000 Catalan homes with no income whatsoever, a 60% increase in university fees, 40% of patients requiring urgent operation on waiting lists. The path he has chosen will not lead either the Catalans or Catalonia anywhere, but it does give him a personal let-out. He is not the first nationalist governor to turn to the enemy without in order to escape from his own responsibilities." |
| Chacón comes from the town of Esplugues de Llobregat, just outside Barcelona – but her father was born in the Andalusian province of Almería. And her grandfather was an anarchist from Aragón. | Chacón comes from the town of Esplugues de Llobregat, just outside Barcelona – but her father was born in the Andalusian province of Almería. And her grandfather was an anarchist from Aragón. |
| She is, in other words, an example of the two-thirds of Catalans who also declare that they feel themselves to be Spanish – and of the many whose roots lie in other parts of Spain. | She is, in other words, an example of the two-thirds of Catalans who also declare that they feel themselves to be Spanish – and of the many whose roots lie in other parts of Spain. |
| "Identity is not a sum which adds up to a total of 100%," she says. "I am many things at the same time: I am a woman, I am a socialist, I am Catalan, I am Spanish, I am European. I feel I am 100% each one of these identities." | "Identity is not a sum which adds up to a total of 100%," she says. "I am many things at the same time: I am a woman, I am a socialist, I am Catalan, I am Spanish, I am European. I feel I am 100% each one of these identities." |
| So what is the solution to Catalonia's current trauma? She agrees that the region is unjustly treated in terms of the share of tax money it receives. Her solution is federalism, but promoting federalism brings other political costs. | So what is the solution to Catalonia's current trauma? She agrees that the region is unjustly treated in terms of the share of tax money it receives. Her solution is federalism, but promoting federalism brings other political costs. |
| "Spain is a diverse nation made up of territories with very strong identities," she says. "There are four official languages, some of which are spoken in more than one autonomous region, as is the case with Catalan. It has diverse historic traditions and many shared identities. In order to articulate all of these identities, I think the best formula is that in which people do not feel limited in exercising their identity. This is the federal formula and I believe it is this formula which provides us with the beginnings of the solution to the current situation." | "Spain is a diverse nation made up of territories with very strong identities," she says. "There are four official languages, some of which are spoken in more than one autonomous region, as is the case with Catalan. It has diverse historic traditions and many shared identities. In order to articulate all of these identities, I think the best formula is that in which people do not feel limited in exercising their identity. This is the federal formula and I believe it is this formula which provides us with the beginnings of the solution to the current situation." |
| Chacón is often spoken of as having the potential to be Spain's first female prime minister. With her party in opposition and Rubalcaba in charge, she still has a way to go to realise that prophecy. But she believes the time has come for Spain to catch up with its international rivals. | Chacón is often spoken of as having the potential to be Spain's first female prime minister. With her party in opposition and Rubalcaba in charge, she still has a way to go to realise that prophecy. But she believes the time has come for Spain to catch up with its international rivals. |
| "I don't think anyone would say that Spain is any less than Great Britain, Germany, Chile or Argentina, to name only some examples where a woman has led the country." | "I don't think anyone would say that Spain is any less than Great Britain, Germany, Chile or Argentina, to name only some examples where a woman has led the country." |
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