Things are not good in the Kingdom of Spain. Just as the Kingdom had managed to wrangle Catalan separatism and quell Galician and Basque unrest, it found itself caught up in an international scandal due to arming and training of the Polisario Front, a militant organization with close criminal ties. In response to this, Turkey, the United States, and the rest of NATO pressured Spain to back down and purge any aggressive elements from its government while subjecting itself to a full investigation by its allies to assist in this task. In response to this, Spain has decided to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. And with this decision, came the storm.
Catalunya per Sempre
Seeing the troubling acts by their government abroad and its subsequent decision to remove itself from its major partners and friends, and witnessing the damage done to the European monarchist movement by the assassination of Prince Nicholas in Romania, Catalonia has found itself in a fury once again. Protesters have returned to the streets in greater numbers and with greater ferocity than ever before. Attacks on Spanish federal officers have become commonplace, and Catalans have drawn the conclusion that federalization was a mere carrot on a stick to pacify Catalonia while the Kingdom pursued dangerous policy and oppressive ideology throughout the continent. The provincial government has stopped paying taxes to the crown entirely, and yet another independence referendum was held, resulting in 94% of voters choosing to secede from Spain with a turnout of 51% of registered voters. Local Catalan leaders have reached out to France requesting it to station soldiers in the region to prevent Spain from assuming control, and look to NATO and the EU to recognize and independent Catalonia in the face of Spanish oppression and its quick transformation into what Catalans are claiming to be a rogue state headed by an illegitimate government. The loss of Catalan revenue and drops in productivity associated with the protests have resounded throughout Spain, causing yet another localized recession. Catalans are beginning to organize into armed militias to defend themselves, and leaders of the provincial government, even those formerly quite loyal to Madrid, have stated that they will respect the decision of their people to pursue independence, whatever the cost may be. However, they believe that with Spain no longer a trustable ally of Europe, France, the UR, Portugal, and others will come to their defense in their time of need.
The Other Guys
Increased audacity on part of the Catalan separatists has certainly empowered other movements throughout Spain, with the Basque and Galician movements returning to the forefront of local politics. Galicians are beginning to explore the possibility of joining Portugal once more under the belief that it will once again provide them protection and security as a member of NATO, while others believe themselves to be best off independence. The Basque Country is also seeing a surge in independent sentiment, and a small but notable portion are reaching out to the French government to explore the possibility of joining their brothers in the French Basque Country. While neither movement is as violent or as ideologically-driven as the Catalans, they demand concessions from Madrid for its actions, and threaten to follow the same path if change does not occur.
Even average Spaniards are outraged at the move, emphasizing that while Turkey is certainly in the wrong for its aggression in Syria, the fate of the Arab Republic is not worth abandoning the closest allies Spain has ever had. A rallying cry, españoles primero -- "Spaniards first," rings throughout the streets of almost every city in Spain, a testament to the belief that the King has abandoned the safety of his own people over a pointless international dispute. Opposition to the King's Party is banding together, demanding the resignation of the King as Prime Minister and his abdication from the royal authority and the return of the government to the people. While this movement is limited in size, it has much potential to grow should Spain's fragmented political organizations set their differences aside against their common enemy.
Calling It Quits
With the news that Spain would be leaving NATO, much of its General Staff walked out on Madrid, stating that they refuse to lend their military talents to a government that would put its own people in danger due to a petty disagreement with an ally all the way across the Mediterranean. Various other officers have chosen to go with them, and the Spanish military has felt the sting of the loss of multiple of its best minds overnight. Expertise is low and morale is lower in the Royal Army, and the rise of Spain as a military power in western Europe seems to grind to a halt as it has removed itself from the source of this rise. As most of the general staff that remains does not expect continued supply from NATO, it seems that Spain must look elsewhere if it wishes to continue to grow its military.