With nearly 99% of the votes counted, the main secessionist group "Junts pel Si" (Together for Yes) won 62 seats in the 135-strong assembly, while smaller leftist party CUP won another 10 seats.
"Catalans have voted yes to independence," regional government head Artur Mas told supporters.
But the two separatist parties fell short of the symbolic 50% of the popular vote they were hoping to clinch as a mandate to push for independence from Spain.
More than 5.5 million of Catalonia's 7.5 million inhabitants were eligible to vote at nearly 2,700 polling stations across the region.
Both separatist parties had said they would unilaterally declare independence within 18 months if they won a majority, though the CUP said it would only join an independence bid if the two parties got a combined 50% of the vote.
Many Catalans who favour breaking away from Spain say their industrialized region, which represents nearly a fifth of Spain's economic output, pays too much in taxes and receives less than its fair share of government investment.
Secessionists have long pushed for an independence referendum, but Spain's central government refused to allow it. So the pro-independence parties pitched the vote for regional parliamentary seats as a de facto plebiscite.
Spain's government brands secession illegal and has called for the country to stay united as the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy recovers from recession.
Madrid says Catalonia would drop out of the European Union and eurozone if it broke away from Spain.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, REUTERS)
france24.com
28/9/15
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"La mentalité des Catalans a changé, l'indépendance est une question de temps" ...
ReplyDeleteAu lendemain du plébiscite des catalans en faveur partis indépendantistes, Amadeu Altafaj, représentant permanent du gouvernement de la Catalogne auprès de l'Union européenne, était l'invité de Bertrand Henne ce lundi. Au micro de Matin Première, cet européen convaincu, ancien chef de cabinet du Commissaire Olli Rehn, ne laisse planer aucun doute concernant l'indépendance de sa région, la Catalogne.
"C’est un pas, un premier pas. Un acte fondamental a été posé, un acte démocratique, et beaucoup de tabous sont tombés hier (NDLR: dimanche). Pour la première fois de l’histoire de cette jeune démocratie qu’est l’Espagne, il y a une majorité de partis qui sont pour l’indépendance au Parlement de la Catalogne. Cela avec une participation record, au-delà de 70%. Plus que lors du vote sur la constitution espagnole". Avant d'ajouter, avec un flegme plus britannique que méditerranéen, "que quelque chose a changé dans la mentalité des Catalans et que l'indépendance est désormais une question de temps"................http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/europe/detail_alt?id=9092567
28/9/15
Spain PM Rajoy 'ready for dialogue'...
ReplyDeleteSpanish 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.
The separatist alliance's leader, Artur Mas, has said he will now push for the creation of an independent state.
His group will have a majority in the Catalan parliament if it can carry the support of a smaller separatist party.
Catalonia has 7.5m people and provides about one-fifth of Spain's GDP.
The Madrid government has reaffirmed its opposition to a vote on secession, noting that nationalists failed to get a majority of Catalonia's popular vote.
"I am ready to listen and to talk, but not in any way to liquidate the law," Mr Rajoy said in his first public remarks since Sunday's election.
"I am not going to talk about either the unity of Spain, or sovereignty."
The main separatist alliance and a small pro-independence party won 72 of the 135 regional parliament seats...............http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34383386