Catalonia independence: The regions across Europe that could be NEXT to gain sovereignty

There are currently more than 100 secessionist movements across the globe, including four in the Philippines, eight in Myanmar, and several in Africa. 

And there dozens more across Europe, with separatist movements ranging from small towns to entire regions all vying for a dramatic split from their respective administrations.

Reasons for wanting their freedoms also vary widely across the continent, including issues from language and cultural differences to economic and historical rows.

READ: Mapped – the other European regions desperate for independence

Willem Buiter, chief economist at Citi, told CNBC on Wednesday that “the Europe of regions is making a comeback”.

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He said: ”Too many countries in the European Union have secessionist problems, including the UK, Belgium and Italy and this is not a unique problem.”

Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto are among the list of regions hoping to break away – with both plotting to hold referendums on October 22 aimed at gaining more autonomy.

Both have strong separatist movements, mainly driven by economic concerns.

But as with Catalonia, Italy’s Constitutional Court has blocked plans for a referendum on independence – so citizens will be asked if they want more autonomy from the national government instead.

South Tyrol, also in Italy, could also seek more independence from its government – although the region has been autonomous since 1972.

Only around a quarter of the region’s 510,000 inhabitants speak Italian, with the majority of the region conversing in German – and the region would like to see reunification with Austria after it was annexed following World War One.

In Belgium, the country is split between three very distinct communities, languages and regions. 

Flanders and the Flemish community is in the north of the country and the mainly French-speaking southern region known as Wallonia both have their own considerable movements striving for independence from the government.

There is also a third region in the far eats of the country, which speaks German.

Scotland too is hoping for a split from Britain – with the secessionist campaign resurfaced following the Brexit vote to leave the European Union.

And the Basque Country is eying events in Catalonia with close attention, as it could also launch its own bid for freedom from Spain’s government.

The region too has its own language, and also has a history of some violent separatism with various terrorist attacks carried out by the nationalist and separatist group Eta.

However officials agreed a ceasefire in 2010, which was made permanent in 2011.

The revelations come as Catalonia, a northern region of Spain, independence campaigners are fighting to leave Spain following an “illegal” referendum on October 1.

Catalonia was an independent region of the Iberian Peninsula with its own language, laws and customs – until the 1700s when modern day Spain was born.

But now campaigners hope for a return to autonomy, with thousands turning out to cast their ballots in the controversial vote.

Catalonia’s leader plans to declare independence from Spain unilaterally after holding a banned referendum, pushing the European Union nation towards a rupture that threatens the foundations of its young democracy.

But Spain’s Constitutional Court on Thursday suspended the session of the Catalan parliament due next Monday at which local leaders were expected to agree on secession.

Spanish riot police used truncheons and rubber bullets on voters in the referendum on Sunday, drawing worldwide criticism and tipping Spain into its biggest constitutional crisis in decades.