The BNG’s (Bloque Nacionalista Galego) rise to being the second largest regional force in Galicia’s autonomous parliament can be attributed to a political structure which provided favourable opportunities to nationalist parties. Similarly, the SNP’s rise was due to favourable circumstances created by devolution. In his article Ramon Maiz cites the complex organisational work and clear ideological moderation of the BNG as its way of eliminating immediate rivals, a framework in which the SNP has also operated. Maiz points out that decentralisation was clearly responsible for policies which led to the promotion of Galician culture, language and economy. In the United Kingdom, as in Spain, decentralisation seems to be a key step in in the secessionist process. Read more in: 

‘Making Opportunities: Contemporary Evolution of Galician Nationalism in Spain (1982-2001)’ by  Ramon Maiz  – Vol.3 No.2 2003