Francisco Javier Romero Caro

The Catalan independence movement––which reached its apex in the 2017 secession referendum––has been among the most closely observed global developments in territorial governance. Despite flagging support for pro-independence parties in recent elections, the Catalan question remains a significant axis in Spanish politics. How did the conflict reach this point, and what are the historical origins and dynamics behind its rapid evolution?

In the second edition of Catalonia: The Struggle Over Independence, Kenneth McRoberts answers these questions, offering an analysis of Catalonia’s political, cultural, and economic trajectory within Spain. Updating his 2001 work, Catalonia: Nation Building Without a State, this edition examines the dramatic rise of the Catalan independence movement over the past decade, culminating in the failed 2017 unilateral declaration of independence. Aimed at scholars and general readers interested in nationalism and European politics, the book explores the origins of Catalan nationhood, the dynamics of its autonomy, and the contentious procés. McRoberts’ detailed account is a valuable contribution to the literature, drawing on extensive research, including interviews with Catalan politicians and academics. However, some critiques of Spain’s autonomy model and federalism proposals could benefit from broader contextualization to balance the perspective.

Federica Cittadino, Francisco Javier Romero Caro

DOI: 10.1093/publius/pjaf031

Report2026

The role of transboundary biodiversity areas in preventing and combating cross-border pollution and transnational wildlife crime: Preliminary insights

Cittadino F, Marques-Banque M, Mazzullo N, Romero Caro FJ, Schoukens H

Projekt: Grenzüberschreitende Governance-Modelle zum Schutz der Biodiversität: Fallstudien für einen verbesserten Schutz natürlicher Ressourcen in Europa

This working paper is part of the research project “Transboundary governance models of biodiversity protection: case studies for an enhanced protection of natural resources in Europe (TRANSNATURE)”, funded by Biodiversa+. Developed under Work Package 3 (WP3), the document addresses the role of transboundary conservation areas in relation to the prevention and enforcement of cross-border pollution and transnational wildlife crime. The working paper situates the research within the broader project framework and describes the WP3 methodological approach, based on empirical data collection. In line with the overall TRANSNATURE project design, it adopts a comparative case-study approach covering four European transboundary regions that reflect diverse ecosystems and governance arrangements: (1) the Julian Alps (Italy/Slovenia), (2) the border area from the Baltic to Barents Seas (Finland/Sweden/Norway); (3) the Scheldt Estuary (The Netherlands/Belgium) and (4) the ZASNET EGTC and the Meseta Ibérica Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Spain/Portugal). The working paper presents preliminary insights for each case study and sets out the methodological constraints encountered. It concludes by formulating cross-case observations and identifying methodological directions for future research.

DOI: 10.57749/E4XG-ET87

Journal article2025

Fiscal devolution and the Barnett formula

Romero Caro FJ

The United Kingdom’s territorial funding arrangement is a crucial component of the country’s financial system, designed to allocate public spending among the different nations that make up the UK. This article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the “Barnett formula”, its origins, evolution, and the various elements that constitute the UK’s territorial funding arrangement. The objective is to understand how the formula operates, its impact on the devolved administrations, and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

DOI: 10.69099/RCBI-2025-1-03-B91

Journal article2025

Navigating fiscal federalism reforms: the unsuccessful cases of Italy and Spain

Valdesalici A, Romero Caro FJ

Projekt: Finanzföderalismus und Gebietskörperschaften: Analyse von aktuellen Problemen und Zukunftsperspektiven

Objectives: This paper investigates different reforms of fiscal federalism in Italy and Spain, to assess their successful or unsuccessful nature by using a comparative framework across four dimensions: programmatic success, process success, endurance success, and political success. The objective is to evaluate how these reforms addressed inter-regional disparities and institutional challenges in two politically diverse and fragmented systems. Methodology: The analysis follows a structured approach, examining each reform’s goals, implementation processes, longevity, and political outcomes. For Italy, the focus is on the shift from a state-transfer-based system to a tax-revenue-based model with standardizing equalization transfers, while Spain’s case emphasizes the creation of mechanisms such as the Basic Public Services Guarantee Fund to enhance territorial equity. Results: The article shows that both reforms fell short of achieving their objectives. Italy’s reform remains largely unimplemented, hindered by procedural complexities, economic crises, and a lack of political commitment, leading to a regression in decentralization and worsening territorial disparities. In Spain, despite partial progress in equalizing public service provision, political polarization and overlapping mechanisms diluted the reform’s impact, while regional conflicts, notably Catalonia’s demands, have further destabilized the model. Conclusions: The study concludes that achieving successful territorial reforms requires inclusive and transparent approaches that balance regional autonomy with national solidarity, emphasizing the need for durable political coalitions and trust-building among stakeholders.

DOI: 10.24965/gapp.11482

Inbook2025

Paradigms of Subnational Government Participation in Equalisation Mechanisms: A Comparative and Constitutional Outlook

Romero Caro FJ, Valdesalici A

Projekt: Finanzföderalismus und Gebietskörperschaften: Analyse von aktuellen Problemen und Zukunftsperspektiven

Although central to intergovernmental relations, equalisation is scarcely addressed by comparative constitutional scholars. To bridge the gap, this chapter explores the different sets of legal tools that can be traced back to the category of ‘equalisation mechanisms’. In particular, the analysis is limited to the rules that design and govern different systems of equalisation having regard to institutional actors and decision-making procedures, exploring the role of subnational governments in making equalisation-related decisions with the purpose to show the coexistence of a plurality of equalisation paradigms and to verify whether and to what extent common trends do emerge in practice. Precondition of this study is that institutions and procedures governing equalisation mechanisms are determinant of the functioning of a federal system and of the federal equilibrium.

DOI: 10.1163/9789004524514_004

Inbook2025

The Italian way to inter-municipal equalization

Valdesalici A, Romero Caro FJ

This chapter deals with the equalization mechanisms established in Italy to address horizontal imbalances among local entities, paying particular attention to inter-municipal redistribution schemes, emphasizing differences between urban and rural local governments. The strong constitutional asymmetry characterizing the regional scenario and the overall system of territorial organization is, among other things, also reflected in the system of local finance and, as such, in the related equalization schemes. Thus, this chapter first explores the local financing system in the ordinary regions, which is characterized by a high degree of centralization, paying special attention to the Municipal Solidarity Fund. It then deals with the special regions, that have their own systems of intermunicipal equalization. Finally, it also covers equalization in provinces and metropolitan cities.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-99812-6_12

Book2024

Condiciones de la Secesión en Democracia: reflexiones a partir de la experiencia canadiense

Dion S, López Basguren A, Romero Caro FJ

ISBN: 9788410564701

España está experimentando movimientos secesionistas, a pesar de que su Constitución declara el país indivisible. ¿Qué debe hacer una democracia constitucional en esta situación?
Esta obra ofrece respuestas a esa cuestión, analizando el contexto español y el de otros países, a partir de la experiencia vivida en Canadá ?uno de los escasísimos países que contempla en la ley la posibilidad de su divisibilidad.
Introduce el tema el prestigioso jurista Javier de Lucas. Seguidamente, Stéphane Dion, politólogo y exministro canadiense, promotor de la conocida Ley de Claridad, expone las condiciones que, en su opinión, harían la secesión democráticamente aceptable. Por su parte, Alberto López Basaguren y Francisco Javier Romero Caro, expertos en las cuestiones políticas y jurídicas de la secesión, profundizan en el caso de España a partir de los ejemplos de Canadá y de otros países.
¿Es posible conciliar la secesión, acto de ruptura, y la democracia, principio de solidaridad de todos los ciudadanos de un país? Esta obra ofrece una reflexión indispensable sobre esta cuestión existencial para España y muchos otros países.

Quelle

Inbook2024

Diversity Accommodation and Fiscal Federalism: Comparative Remarks from a Constitutional Law Perspective

Valdesalici A, Romero Caro FJ

Projekt: DATE - Diversity Accommodation through Territorial Equalization, Finanzföderalismus und Gebietskörperschaften: Analyse von aktuellen Problemen und Zukunftsperspektiven

The chapter attempts to highlight the challenges that arise in the chapters of this book when examining the interaction between diversity accommodation and fiscal federalism within the selected federal systems. It explores how the need to address diversities influences financial relations and their evolution, focusing on which types of diversity drive these dynamics, potentially leading to integrative or disintegrative effects for the federal system. To accomplish this, the chapter delves into three major critical areas: the cause-effect relationship between diversity and fiscal arrangements, the balance between financial autonomy and solidarity, and the participation of subnational governments in decision-making processes. Examples from the case studies analyzed in this book are used to illustrate the complexities of accommodating diversities through fiscal federalism

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-53759-2_11

Inbook2024

Diversity Accommodation and Fiscal Federalism: Relevance of the Topic and Rationale for Case Selection

Romero Caro FJ, Valdesalici A

Projekt: DATE - Diversity Accommodation through Territorial Equalization

The accommodation of diversity is one of the greatest challenges that modern societies must face. In addition, today, many federal systems encounter a loss of solidarity and an upsurge of interregional disparities. These have exacerbated dormant tensions and intergovernmental conflicts that, in certain cases, could even give rise to secessionist movements. Multilevel government (either in federal or regional form) plays a key role in managing diversity and reducing the risk of secession. This has led to decentralization being presented by some scholars as the antidote for secessionist/nationalist movements. However, contrasting views also spice up the debate. Moreover, history has not proven any one of these theories. Although conflicts and secessionism arise from multiple factors, traditionally, the literature on diversity accommodation has predominantly focused on differences from ethnonational, cultural, linguistic, or religious diversity and not on the economic driver for autonomy or national recognition. The study of fiscal instruments and financial relations (i.e., fiscal federalism) has, for the most part, been left aside, even though the latter has a critical role in this respect. Although the financial dimension is a vital component of any system of shared government, as the lack of resources to finance constitutionally assigned competences would render these inoperable, reducing autonomy to an empty vessel, the nexus between diversity accommodation and fiscal federalism remains to a large extent understudied. In addition, the financial dimension is almost never mentioned in the literature on diversity accommodation. Along the same line, fiscal federalism has been analyzed from other angles, paying attention to matters such as the allocation of financial resources and the powers thereof, as well as the functioning of financial relations among different levels of government, but without drawing much interest from the literature on nationalism and minority accommodation and to the contribution the first could give to the latter (and vice versa) in terms of research advancements.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-53759-2_1

Edited book2024

Fiscal Federalism and Diversity Accommodation in Multilevel States: A Comparative Outlook

Romero Caro FJ, Valdesalici A

Projekt: DATE - Diversity Accommodation through Territorial Equalization, Finanzföderalismus und Gebietskörperschaften: Analyse von aktuellen Problemen und Zukunftsperspektiven

ISBN: 978-3-031-53758-5

This open access edited book connects two strands of federal studies, fiscal federalism, and diversity accommodation, to answer two closely interrelated questions. The first of these is to what extent has the need to accommodate diversities determined financial relations and their evolution? The authors answer this question by conducting a thorough investigation of the types of diversity that drive such evolution. The second question is does fiscal federalism have a broadly positive or negative impact on the accommodation of diversities, by producing institutional solutions that either integrate a federal system or pull it apart?

Through contributions from experts in law, economics, and political science, the book uses a series of case studies to establish a theoretical framework for exploring the relationship between fiscal federalism and diversity accommodation. The authors lay the groundwork for a comparative study of this relationship in multilevel states.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-53759-2

Journal article2024

La autonomia differenziata, ¿un brindis al sol?

Romero Caro FJ

El modelo territorial ha sido una cuestión controvertida en Italia desde la proclamación de la República en 1946. Las diferentes sensibilidades existentes llevaron a la creación de un modelo capaz de combinar un gobierno central fuerte, característico de un Estado unitario, con cierto grado de descentralización para responder a las diversas demandas territoriales y a los compromisos internacionales adquiridos con Austria en relación con la comunidad germanófona del Tirol del Sur. La llegada al gobierno del ejecutivo liderado por Giorgia Meloni, ha supuesto un nuevo impulso a las propuestas para reformar el estado regional italiano. En este texto se reflexiona sobre las grandes interrogantes sobre el futuro del regionalismo italiano.

DOI: 10.47919/FMGA.CM24.0201

Inbook2024

The United Kingdom’s Territorial Funding Arrangement: A Holding Together Tool?

Romero Caro FJ

Projekt: DATE - Diversity Accommodation through Territorial Equalization

The accommodation of territorial diversity is one of the biggest challenges that modern societies must face nowadays, especially in a context where secessionist movements are on the rise. Multilevel government plays a key role in managing diversity and reducing the risk of secession. The fiscal dimension is a vital component of any system of shared government as the lack of financial resources to finance constitutionally assigned competences would render them inoperable, reducing autonomy to an empty vessel. However, the use of fiscal instruments to accommodate diversity and reduce the risk of secession has barely been explored. Against this background, this chapter explores, from a legal perspective, the internal architecture of the United Kingdom’s territorial funding arrangement, the Barnett formula, with the aim of investigating its integrative and disintegrative effects in relation to Scotland. This is done on the hypothesis that redistribution mechanisms: raise the cost of secession in subunits that are net receivers of funds; have an integrating function as they promote economic development and cohesion; and tend to enhance a sense of belonging and solidarity among constituent units by fostering national unity. The chapter focuses on all sources of law, including also secondary legislation, with the final aim of evaluating if and to what extent the Barnett formula can be conceived as an instrument of nation building that contributes to reducing territorial tensions and accommodating diversity, in the end reversing disintegrative trends. This is done through the evaluation of the integrative and disintegrative potentials of each of the elements of the internal architecture of equalization mechanisms.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-53759-2_10

Inbook2024

Diversity Accommodation and Fiscal Federalism: Relevance of the Topic and Rationale for Case Selection

Romero Caro FJ, Valdesalici A

Projekt: DATE - Diversity Accommodation through Territorial Equalization