Scottish Vote Reignites Sardinia Separatist Parties Hopes for Independence Sardinian Politicians to Meet Scottish Independence Campaign Leaders, Take Part in Vote as Observers By CHIARA ALBANESE CONNECT Sept. 10, 2014 9:18 a.m. ET Sardinian Separatist party Sardigna Natzione Indipendentzia supporters took part in a sit in protest at the end of June, 2014. Sardigna Natzione Indipendentzia Whatever the outcome of Scotlands independence vote next week, separatists from the Italian island of Sardinia are already claiming victory. The timeline for a nation to achieve independence has shrunk since Scotland was granted the opportunity of a referendum, said Franciscu Sedda, founder of Partito Dei Sardi, one of at least 10 Sardinian political parties pushing for a split with Italy. The Scottish poll is both a morale booster and a chance to learn how to push forward the separatist agenda, says Mr. Sedda, a 38-year-old professor of semiotics at the University of Tor Vergata. He is among a dozen or so Sardinian politicians planning to be in Edinburgh for the referendum, where they plan to meet with leaders of the Scottish independence campaign and take part in the vote count as observers. We are aiming at opening a stable channel of communication with the Scottish leaders, he added. Separatist groups around Europe are carefully watching the Scottish vote, the result of which has become increasingly uncertain in the last few days. Recent opinion polls show the pro-independence camp has closed what was previously a large gulf and is now neck and neck with the No campaign. For Catalan and Basque secessionist parties in Spain, as well as other nationalists in Wales or parts of Italy, for instance, a Yes vote in Scotland could be a significant lift. The roots of Sardinian separatism run deep. Sardinia was annexed by Italy in 1861, when the Savoy kingdom—which included the island—was united with the rest of the country under a single king for the first time. Partly because of its isolated geographical position, the island has retained a distinct culture, including its own language, and a very traditional agricultural economy. In recent decades, Sardinian separatists have gained traction at a local level—several pro-independence parties are represented in the coalition that currently holds sway in the region. In 2012, an unofficial poll by the University of Cagliari found that about 40% of the islands 1.5 million people would vote for independence from mainland Italy. The same poll also found a large majority wants greater powers for the local government, which already has special status compared with other Italian regions. The Sardinian group that is traveling to Scotland is a disparate bunch. The Partito dei Sardi, for instance, wants more devolved authority, whereas ProgReS—short for Progetu Repùblica—is seeking complete secession and wants to create an independent republic of Sardinia. The vast array of Sardinian separatist parties each has a slightly different agenda, with some even wanting the island to form a political allegiance with Switzerland. Some Sardinian separatists have already landed on Scottish shores. Last November, Michela Murgia, a separatist candidate in the islands local government elections who is also a renowned Italian novelist, met formally with Joan Campbell, a prominent SNP politician to discuss how lessons from the Scottish political progress could be applied to Sardinias case. And earlier this year, several active Sardinian separatists moved to Scotland to take part in the yes campaign. They include Paola Bonesu, a political consultant who has worked on a number of Italian electoral campaigns, and who has been volunteering among the Yes Scotland committee, even distributing leaflets door to door. Ms. Bonesu says shes not a fan of the Scottish weather, or the local beer, though shes struck by the similarities to her home region. I like the openness towards foreigners and the importance they give to their national identity, she says. There are significant differences with Scotland too. For one, the Sardinian independence campaign lacks a single leader in the mold of the SNPs Alex Salmond, who has maneuvered Scotland to the brink of independence after three centuries of union with the rest of the U.K. Most Sardinian separatists acknowledge they are still some way off achieving as much as the SNP. But the Scottish experience shows that Sardinian separatists shouldnt be put off, says Eve Hepburn, a lecturer in politics at the university in Edinburgh. A Scottish referendum in 1979 failed to secure independence partly because of division among the separatists, Ms. Hepburn notes. But the Scottish secessionists were able to demand greater devolved power and ultimately the divisions became less, she adds. This should provide a clear lesson to Sardinian parties asking for independence, Ms. Hepburn says: They should unite and speak with a single voice. Write to Chiara Albanese at chiara.albanese@wsj
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 07:03:54 +0000
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