What Do They Really Want? Explaining the Changing Dynamics of Spain's Approach to Gibraltar in the Light Of Brexit Negotiations
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Summary, in English
This thesis focuses on the dynamics in the Spanish Government’s stance towards Gibraltar during the post-Brexit period (2016-2019). The study is guided by three aims. On the theoretical level, it sets out an explanatory framework for the analysis of the dynamics in the territorial disputes
by combining approaches to irredentism and foreign policy change. On the empirical level, it reexamines the current Spain’s position towards Gibraltar within the traditional understanding of irredentism and addresses the factors behind the inconsistencies in the post-Brexit Spanish approach to the Gibraltar issue.
Aiming to assess the dynamics, this study examined statements of Spanish foreign policy executives who held their offices from 2016 to 2019. The findings revealed that despite some variation in emphasis, the Spanish legitimacy over Gibraltar remained unquestioned – Gibraltar was considered a colony whose existence was incompatible with the Spanish right to territorial
integrity. However, the visions of how Gibraltar should be returned to Spain differed significantly.
The plan to establish a shared British-Spanish sovereignty following the UK’s withdrawal was replaced by a more constructive approach of gradually bringing Gibraltar closer to Spain through a closer cross-border cooperation.
The second part of this analysis aimed to address these changes. Following Hermann’s propositions on foreign policy change, I examined how four stages of decision-making – initial expectations, external actor responses, recognition of discrepant information and development of alternatives – were dealt with within the Spanish Government. Three “external stimuli” were
considered particularly relevant in understanding the shifts in Spain’s approach to Gibraltar during the Brexit negotiations: the UK’s reluctance to negotiate the shared sovereignty proposal, Gibraltar’s self-identification as British rather than Spanish, and the EU’s decision to grant Spain
a veto right over any future agreement between the EU and the UK involving Gibraltar. However,it was observed that decision-making was more influenced by an individual policymaker’s perception of the situation than by external actor responses per se.
by combining approaches to irredentism and foreign policy change. On the empirical level, it reexamines the current Spain’s position towards Gibraltar within the traditional understanding of irredentism and addresses the factors behind the inconsistencies in the post-Brexit Spanish approach to the Gibraltar issue.
Aiming to assess the dynamics, this study examined statements of Spanish foreign policy executives who held their offices from 2016 to 2019. The findings revealed that despite some variation in emphasis, the Spanish legitimacy over Gibraltar remained unquestioned – Gibraltar was considered a colony whose existence was incompatible with the Spanish right to territorial
integrity. However, the visions of how Gibraltar should be returned to Spain differed significantly.
The plan to establish a shared British-Spanish sovereignty following the UK’s withdrawal was replaced by a more constructive approach of gradually bringing Gibraltar closer to Spain through a closer cross-border cooperation.
The second part of this analysis aimed to address these changes. Following Hermann’s propositions on foreign policy change, I examined how four stages of decision-making – initial expectations, external actor responses, recognition of discrepant information and development of alternatives – were dealt with within the Spanish Government. Three “external stimuli” were
considered particularly relevant in understanding the shifts in Spain’s approach to Gibraltar during the Brexit negotiations: the UK’s reluctance to negotiate the shared sovereignty proposal, Gibraltar’s self-identification as British rather than Spanish, and the EU’s decision to grant Spain
a veto right over any future agreement between the EU and the UK involving Gibraltar. However,it was observed that decision-making was more influenced by an individual policymaker’s perception of the situation than by external actor responses per se.
Department/s
Publishing year
2020
Language
English
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Document type
Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
Topic
- Law and Political Science
- Social Sciences
- Cultural Sciences
Keywords
- Gibraltar
- Spain
- post-Brexit
- Spanish foreign policy
- cross-border cooperation
- European Union
- European studies
Supervisor
- Sanimir Resic (Associate Professor)