Breakaway states and democracy

As the battle over Catalonia raged this week, secessionism is challenging the constructs of democracy. Around the world, we see one person’s quest for sovereignty can cost the integrity of another’s state. Here’s the best of our comment and analysis

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Spain’s crisis is next challenge for EU

Europe’s safe space of centrist stability is shrinking

Healing the wounds of secessionism in Spain

Mariano Rajoy is right to dismiss Catalonia’s government and call elections

Africa is not immune from secessionist sentiment

It is a minor miracle that countries have kept to their borders as resentments simmer

A separatist’s guide to successful statehood

A region must have a conclusive consensus among its own people on becoming independent

Tunisia: An Arab Anomaly, by Safwan M Masri

Its focus on education has forged a modern society, with a longstanding reform agenda

Direct democracy threatens the way we are governed

Business and technology are shaping a world in which earthly government is peripheral

More from this Series

Catalonia calling for the leader in exile

Carles Puigdemont finds there is much to be said for staying in Brussels

Democracy is no defence against secessionists

Letter from Dr Mark A Wolfgram, Ottawa, ON, Canada

To bypass the people will be a betrayal of democracy

Letter from Jonathan Bullock MEP, UK Independence Party, European Parliament

It was parliament that ‘betrayed the people’

Letter from Christopher G Glover, Cookham, Berks, UK