Spanish unionism is a term used by the

Basque nationalism Basque nationalism ( eu, eusko abertzaletasuna ; es, nacionalismo vasco; french: nationalisme basque) is a form of nationalism that asserts that Basques, an ethnic group indigenous to the western Pyrenees, are a nation and promotes the poli ...

and

Catalan independence The Catalan independence movement ( ca, independentisme català; Spanish: ''independentismo catalán'') is a social and political movement (with roots in Catalan nationalism) which seeks the independence of Catalonia from Spain. The beginning ...

movements to refer to the political attitude which opposes independence and favours the continuity of the

Kingdom of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

as a single united nation-state. Observations regarding the use of the Spanish term ''unionismo español'' inside Spain do not apply necessarily to the use outside Spain of the same term or translations like ''Spanish unionism''. They can be disconnected, like, on one hand the Spanish term ''nacionalista'', usually applied to catalan nationalists and never to Spanish nationalists, and on the other hand the term applied to the

Francoist Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Francoist dictatorship (), was the period of Spanish history between 1939 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death in 1975, Spani ...

faction of the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

in English and many other languages, whereas Spanish sources prefer to not call the Francoists ''nacionalista'', but ''bando sublevado'', meaning Rebel Faction. The expression ''Spanish unionism'' has been used as early as March 2009 in the context of the Catalan independence movement. An example of its use by Basque nationalism can be found in April 2009. The adoption of the term ''unionism'' into the Spanish context and its loaded usage with negative connotation relates to attempts to draw parallels with the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It also ...

of the Unionist movement in Ireland. Spanish unionism is considered by Basque and Catalan nationalist parties as a political ideology identified by its denial of the exercise of the

right of self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a ''jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It stat ...

of the peripheral nationalities of Spain or sometimes by the simple defense of Spain as a nation. Therefore, the label has been applied to parties such as the People's Party,

Spanish Socialist Workers Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( es, Partido Socialista Obrero Español ; PSOE ) is a social-democraticThe PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * political party in Spain. The PSOE has been in gov ...

(PSOE),"Los senadores valencianos del PSOE firman una declaración en defensa del catalán"
'' El Mundo''. Retrieved 24 May 2013.

Union, Progress and Democracy Union, Progress and Democracy ( es, link=no, Unión, Progreso y Democracia , UPyD ) was a Spanish political party founded in September 2007 and dissolved in December 2020. It was a social-liberal party that rejected any form of nationalism, espec ...

(UPYD) and

Citizens-Party of the Citizenry Citizens ( es, link=no, Ciudadanos ; ca, link=no, Ciutadans ; eu, link=no, Hiritarrak; gl, link=no, Cidadáns; shortened as Cs—C's until January 2017), officially Citizens–Party of the Citizenry (''Ciudadanos–Partido de la Ciudadanía'') ...

(C's).

References

{{reflist Spanish nationalism Unionism

See also

References