Claudi Pérez
Journalist Claudi Pérez currently works as a Brussels correspondent for the Spanish daily El País.
Updated: 28 June 2012
Sources and authors
By Claudi Pérez
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Spain: Catalonia, a new headache for the EU
24 September 201259776 El País Madrid -
European Council: A stress test for the Europeans
27 June 20126561 El País Madrid -
Banking crisis: Can Spain make a solo comeback?
29 May 201221243 El País Madrid -
EU summit: Hour of truth has come for Europe
23 May 201210377 El País Madrid -
Spain: Sick man of Europe not doing too badly
31 May 2010121 El País Madrid -
Stock Exchange: Will a financial black hole engulf all?
29 April 20101 El País Madrid
Catalonia, Spain's wealthiest and yet most indebted region is claiming the right not to pay for a central government brought low by debt, all the while brandishing the spectre of independence under Madrid’s nose. For Brussels this microcosm version of trouble the eurozone faces is the cause of much scepticism, as well as concern. 
By offering greater control over national budgets and banks, the heads of EU institutions are taking up the federalist challenge launched by Germany. But this solution risks provoking resistance from some member states – without weakening the attacks from the markets. 
Assurances from the head of government cannot amount to much: victim of a severe banking crisis, Madrid will soon be forced to seek help in the EU. Like Ireland, it will then be placed on a drip-feed – and under guardianship. 
Let Greece leave the euro? Save Spain’s banks? Continue to stand fast on austerity, or give growth a chance? Plenty of questions that the leaders of the eurozone, meeting at the extraordinary summit on May 23, will have to find answers to if they want to preserve Europeans’ faith in the common project. 
Spain’s image sparkled and shone in the boom years – more than it deserved. Now, in the crisis, it’s unduly denigrated, argues El País. 
Following in the footsteps of Greece and Portugal, on 28 April, Spain saw its sovereign debt downgraded by ratings agency Standard & Poor’s. El País reports that the onslaught of negative sentiment on the markets is almost out of control.