Abstract. The article analyses the origins, character and possible ways of resolution of the conflict in Catalonia over the independence of this region and it secession from Spain. Spatial organization and identity approaches, along with the concept of ethno-political conflict, are employed to examine standpoints of parties to the conflict and to identify factors that drive its dynamics. The policies of the central government and of the Catalan regional authorities are also examined against the backdrop of general political instability in Spain as well as in the context of the European integration and the rise of ethnic nationalism in several member-states of the European Union. In conclusion, prospects and possible scenarios of managing the secessionist conflict in Catalonia are presented.