Catalans vote to determine region’s future as part of Spain

The “Together for Yes” pro-independence alliance won 62 seats in the 135-member parliament, six short of a majority, forcing it to seek support from an anti-establishment separatist party that detests Artur Mas, Catalonia’s regional leader who called the vote.

Separatists in Catalonia have claimed victory in a regional election that they have vowed will lead to them declaring the region independent from Spain. The main separatist alliance and a smaller party have together won 72 seats in the 135-seat regional parliament.

Pro-independence parties would jointly obtain majority of seats, but not of votes as they do not reach 48 percent of vote, (Junts Pel Si has 39.61 percent and CUP 8.19 percent).

Rajoy must call general election by the year’s end with polls suggesting his party will lose its majority in the national parliament. Pro-independence leaders like Mas have promised to draft a constitution, form an army and set up a central bank, ending with independence from Spain within 18 months.

Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy says he is ready to listen to Catalonia’s new regional government after the separatist victory in Sunday’s polls – but will not discuss Spain’s unity. Many Catalans are also angry because they say their industrialized region, which represents almost a fifth of Spain’s economic output, pays too much in taxes and receives less than its fair share of government investment. Independence sentiment grew during Spain’s near economic meltdown during the financial crisis.

Mr Mas wants Catalonia to follow the example of Scotland and Quebec in Canada by holding a vote on independence – though in both those cases a majority of voters rejected a breakaway.

Mas, whose vote total has been trending lower in various elections in recent years, promoted his new candidacy after long negotiations with other political groups and in an effort to craft a ticket that would start the process of Catalan secession from Spain.

In this Friday, September 11, 2015 photo, the President of Democratic Convergence of Catalonia Artur Mas pauses during a press conference in Barcelona, Spain. But differences are already apparent because he has said he wants an immediate declaration of independence rather than the 18-month secession roadmap favored by the “Yes” bloc. Final results were expected late Sunday or early Monday.

If the pro-secession parties attempt to move towards independence “despite the people”, they may face a backlash.

Jean-Francois Lisée said it was important for the PQ to send observers to Spain for Sunday’s vote.

Among parties opposed to independence, pro-market Ciudadanos, often cited as a national kingmaker, emerged as the only victor, jumping to 18 percent of the vote.

With its own language and cultural traditions, Catalonia has seen numerous bids for greater autonomy over the past century.