Catalan Republic in the context of Autonomous Region of Catalonia (1931–1939)

The Catalan independence movement (Catalan: independentisme català; Spanish: independentismo catalán; Occitan: independentisme catalan) is a social and political movement with roots in Catalan nationalism that seeks the independence of Catalonia from Spain and the establishment of a Catalan Republic.

While proposals, organizations and individuals advocating for Catalan independence or the restitution of statehood for the Principality of Catalonia existed through the 18th and 19th centuries, the beginnings of the independence movement in Catalonia can be traced back to regionalism and Catalan nationalism from the mid–19th century, influenced by romantic ideas widespread in Europe at the time. The first relevant organised Catalan independence party was Estat Català ("Catalan State"), founded in 1922 by Francesc Macià. In 1931, Estat Català and other parties formed Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya ("Republican Left of Catalonia", ERC). Macià proclaimed a Catalan Republic within an Iberian Federation in 1931, subsequently accepting autonomy within the Spanish Republic after negotiations with the leaders of the provisional Spanish Republican government. During the Spanish Civil War, General Francisco Franco abolished Catalan autonomy in 1938. Following Franco's death in 1975, Catalan political parties concentrated on the recovery and further increase of autonomy rather than independence, which was restricted to extraparliamentary Marxist organizations and internal factions of mainstream parties.

The Republican Left of Catalonia (Catalan: Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya [əsˈkɛrə rəpuβliˈkanə ðə kətəˈluɲə], ERC; generically branded as Esquerra Republicana) is a pro-Catalan independence, social democratic political party in the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia, with a presence also in Valencia, the Balearic Islands and the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales (Northern Catalonia). It is also the main sponsor of the movement for independence from France and Spain in the territories known as Catalan Countries, focusing in recent years on the creation of a Catalan Republic in Catalonia-proper.

ERC members sit in the unicameral Catalan Parliament, which exercises devolved powers within Spain. The party also contests and wins elections for seats in both houses of the Spanish Cortes Generales (the national parliament), as well as the European Parliament, where it sits as a member of the European Free Alliance. In 2022, ERC had 9,047 members. It is headquartered in Barcelona. Currently, its president is Oriol Junqueras and its secretary-general is Elisenda Alamany.

Francesc Macià i Llussà (Catalan: [fɾənˈsɛzɡ məsiˈa j ʎuˈsa]; 21 September 1859 – 25 December 1933) was a Catalan politician who served as the 122nd president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, and formerly an officer in the Spanish Army.

Politically, Macià evolved from an initial regenerationism of Spain to the defense of the Catalan Republic, being appointed as the first president of the restored Generalitat and achieving the first successful establishment of self-government for Catalonia of modern history.