The view of intergovernmental relations in Barcelona and Madrid

Abstract

The objective of this research note is to verify if conventional images of ideological positions of citizens of Barcelona and Madrid on the issues of intergovernmental relations (nationalism and self-government in Barcelona, centralism and uniformity in Madrid) are supported by recent data on attitudes and opinions of citizens of those provinces. The analysis of indicators of preferences about the territorial organization of the Spanish State, the division of functions among levels of government, the fiscal and financial system of Autonomous Communities, and the participation of Autonomous Communities in the European Union shows that, not surprisingly, citizens of Barcelona and Madrid differ significantly in their attitudes on the fundamental issues of intergovernmental relations. Nevertheless, some of the findings have implications that are briefly discussed in the last section of the paper.