加泰罗尼亚独立的动力使西班牙陷入了40年来最大的政治危机之中。本文概述了该事态的起因及发展。
Catalonia’s drive for independence has plunged Spain into its biggest political crisis for 40 years. It’s a complicated dispute, so let’s break it down.
加泰罗尼亚独立的动力已经使西班牙陷入40年来最大的政治危机之中。这是一个复杂的争议，让我们来解读一下。
What is Catalonia?
什么是加泰罗尼亚？
Catalonia is an autonomous region in north-east Spain with a distinct history dating back almost 1,000 years.
加泰罗尼亚是西班牙东北部的一个自治区，历史可追溯到将近一千年。
The wealthy region has about 7.5 million people, with their own language, parliament, flag and anthem. Catalonia also has its own police force and controls some of its public services.
这个富裕地区有大约750万人，拥有自己的语言，议会，国旗和国歌。加泰罗尼亚还有自己的警察部队，并控制其一些公共服务。
Why the controversy?
为什么有争议？
For many years Catalan nationalists have complained that their region sends too much money to poorer parts of Spain.
多年来，加泰罗尼亚民族主义者抱怨说，他们的地区向西班牙较贫穷的地区支援了太多钱。
Their budget and taxes are controlled by Madrid.
他们的预算和税收由马德里控制。
They also say Spain’s changes to their autonomous status in 2010 undermined their distinctive Catalan identity.
他们还说，西班牙在2010年对该地区自主地位的改变破坏了独特的加泰罗尼亚人的身份。
In a referendum on 1 October, declared illegal by Spain’s Constitutional Court, about 90% of Catalan voters had backed independence. But turnout was only 43%.
西班牙宪法法院宣布为非法的10月1日的公民投票中，约有90％的加泰罗尼亚选民支持独立。但投票率只有43％。
There were clashes when Spanish national police tried to prevent people voting.
西班牙国家警察试图阻止人们投票时发生冲突。
The Catalan parliament then voted for independence on 27 October. At the same time Madrid moved to impose direct control by invoking Article 155 of the constitution - a first for Spain.
然后，加泰罗尼亚议会于10月27日对独立投了赞成票。同时，马德里通过援引宪法第一百五十五条来实行对该地区的直接控制，这是西班牙历史以来第一次。
What is Madrid doing?
马德里在做什么？
The Spanish government has fired the Catalan leaders, dissolved parliament and called regional elections for 21 December.
西班牙政府已经解散了加泰罗尼亚领导人，解散议会，并号召12月21日举行区域选举。
Sacked Catalan President Carles Puigdemont remains defiant and has urged civil servants to disobey Madrid.
被解雇的加泰罗尼亚总统普莱格德蒙特（Carles Puigdemont）仍然挑衅，敦促公务员不服从马德里。
Why does the crisis matter?
为什么该危机有重要性？
The crisis does not look set to degenerate into armed conflict, but it could damage the region and Spain as a whole economically, bringing new instability to the eurozone.
这场危机并不会沦为武装冲突，但可能会对整个地区和整个西班牙经济造成破坏，给欧元区带来新的不稳定。
It is being watched nervously by other countries with secessionist movements in Europe.
欧洲存在分裂主义运动的其他国家也紧张地关注该危机。
