An
oft-overlooked independence movement that is likely to increase markedly in
strength, as the French state crumbles under its current financial collapse.
Indeed this movement has already created for itself a provisional government, despite
the fact that no official secession has yet been declared.
The
Occitanian republic is made up of the regions that historically speak the
Occitan language. There are several competing territorial claims from different
independence movements in this region. The final borders here suppose an
agreement between these groups as to the final borders.
The
Occitanians are historically linked with the Cathar religious movement, which
took hold in their region in the Middle Ages. As such the old fault lines, left
from the Catholic crusades against these people, also lead to the anti Jacobin
sentiment in the region.
A
modern Occitanian state is likely to include Occitanian speaking regions of
France in the Ardeche, Drome, Cantal, Haute-Loire, Puy de Dome, Correze,
Creuse, Dordogne, Gironde, Haute-Vienne, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Ariege, Aude,
Aveyron, Gard, Gers, Haute-Garonne, Haute-Pyrenees, Herault, Lot, Lozere, Tarn,
Tarn-et-Garonne, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Bouches-du-Rhone, Var
and Vaucluse departments. It will also contain half of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques
department, divided along the historical border between Basque Country and
Bearn. The Fenolleda Comarca, of the Pyrenees-Orientales department will be the
final French part of this nation. Added
to this will be the current Spanish territory of the Aran Valley Comarca, in
Lleida Province.
Given
that the Occitanian language originated in the Occitan valley regions, of Italy,
there are also parts of this nation that the Occitanians claim. However we are
hypothesising, in this geopolitical model, that the current Nicard independence
movement will unite with the Arpitanian one, in order to create a greater
Arpitan state along very similar borders to the old Kingdom of Savoy. In order
for there to be a contiguous land area, between Nice and neighbouring Piedmont
regions, some of the Occitanian claims will have to be ceded to this
neighbouring state.
Therefore
the Occitanian state will also include the Porte, Campiglione Fenile,
Cantalupa, Frossasco, Pinerolo, Roletto, San Pietro Val Lemina, San Secondo di Pinerolo, Bibiana, Briccherasio,
Luserna San Giovanni and Lusernetta comunes, in the Turin province of Piedmont. In the neighbouring
Piedmontese province of Cuneo the river Gesso would make an obvious natural
boundary between Occitania and the neighbouring Arpitania. Therefore all the
Occitanian comunes north of the Gesso would be part of the final boundaries of
the new state.
These
include the Barge, Bagnolo
Piemonte, Envie, Revello, Brondello, Castellar, Gambasca, Martiniana Po,
Paesana, Pagno, Rifreddo, Sanfront, Brossasco, Isasca, Piasco, Rossana, Busca,
Cartignano, Dronero, Roccabruna, Villar San Costanzo, Bernezzo, Caraglio,
Cervasca, Montemale di Cuneo, Valgrana, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Gaiola, Moiola,
Rittana and Vignolo comunes.
The flag of
Occitania is based on the flag of the historical province of Languedoc. Added
to this is the seven-pointed star of nationalism that represents the Felibrige movement,
which created the rebirth of the Occitanian movement in the 1800’s. It also
represents the seven regions of the Occitanian language, which encompass a larger
territory than just Languedoc.
