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Serafin Pazos-Vidal
European Association for Information on Local Development
Belgium
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3878-6008
Vol 31 No 2 (2022): Special Issue. Euroregions in Perspective: Old issues and new challenges for cooperation, Articles, pages 1-28
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15304/rge.31.2.8365
Submitted: 31-03-2022 Accepted: 19-07-2022 Published: 23-09-2022
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Abstract

The term “España Vaciada” has recently been coined to define the long-term trend of depopulation in Spain´s inland areas. It has gained traction as it spilled over from a local issue to the national agenda. At the same time, the European Union has made steps to give greater prevalence to the topic of demographic decline. This article maps out and provides a narrative of the failed attempts of territorial mobilisation around this issue since 2016. It examines a number of territorial actors as they try to are shape both Spain´s Demographic strategy against demographic decline as well as their rent-seeking efforts towards EU Cohesion Policy post 2020 by way of maps and a novel definition. They try to address the same territorial challenge, the growing depopulation of vast areas of inland Spain, but are unable to coalesce around common solutions due to their different priorities and approaches.