Catalan Way
Catalonia saw several local referenda for independence take place in hundreds of villages between 13 September 2009 and April 2011, with an overwhelming number of "yes" votes being cast.
The 2012 Catalan independence demonstration, organized by the Catalan National Assembly, argued that Catalonia should become an independent state within the European Union, under the slogan "Catalonia, new state in Europe". The number of participants was estimated at about 1.5 million according to Barcelona's Municipal Police and Catalonia's Department of the Interior, about 2 million according to the organizers, and about 600,000 according to the delegation of the Spanish government in Catalonia.
Statute of Catalonia of 1919
The Statute of Catalonia of 1919 started in a pro-autonomist environment and was approved by the Assembly of the Commonwealth of Catalonia in Barcelona, on 24 January 1919 with the support of several Catalan parties: The "Partit Català Republicà" (Republican Catalan Party) took this Statute as its main concern, Alejandro Lerroux's radicals endorsed it, Francesc Cambó and his party (Lliga Regionalista) asked for a pragmatic vision. Liberals and Conservatives (who were in the Spanish government) went against central party policy, and the Traditionalists remembered his defense of autonomy with weapons. Francesc Macià -speaking as a supporter of independence- said that this was a short Statute, but the best one that could be achieved. Finally, Largo Caballero, speaking as a Socialist, stated that Spanish workers believed that Catalan Autonomy was the first step in the regeneration of Spain.