A year of politics and corruption

Looking back through the archives, you realise that 2014 was not just any year. Firstly, major historic events took place. Europe saw the rise of national self-determination movements in Scotland and Catalonia. Sadly, the Spanish government has not been as amenable to negotiation as that of the UK. Scotland celebrated its referendum on independence, while Catalonia still waits for the same right to decide. This has done little to reduce tensions with Madrid, and a head-on collision could well be coming sooner rather than later.

On another level, the political agenda was marked by corruption allegations. One of the most serious affects the much-respected figure of Jordi Pujol, former president and father of Catalan nationalism. Yet, the ripples of corruption have spread much further than Catalonia, immersing Spain's main parties, PP and PSOE. Thus, there is a serious crisis of trust towards the system, as can be seen from the birth of the anti-system party, Podemos.

Our annual review offers a selection of highlights from 2014. We hope you enjoy it and wish you the best for 2015. Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!