Explaining Catalonia’s independence vote

Catalan President Artur Mas is defying orders from Spain’s highest court and pressing ahead with plans for a plebiscite on independence on Nov 9

SPAIN
FRANCE
PORTUGAL
CATALONIA
Barcelona
Madrid

16.1%
Population of Catalonia is 7.51 million and accounts for 16.1% of Spain’s 46.65 million citizens (2013) 

19%
Catalonia’s GDP is €192 billion and accounts for 19% of Spain’s €1.02 trillion (2013)

SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENCE: Catalan separatists say central government bleeds region of tax revenue and fails to respect fully its language and culture

VOTE: Ballot paper offers two-part question. Vote would determine whether Catalonia maintains status quo, forms state inside Spain or becomes fully independent

WHAT DOES SPAIN THINK? Madrid says vote violates Spain’s constitution which states that only central government can call referendums on sovereignty Spain’s Constitutional Court has suspended referendum, halting all campaigning and preparations for vote on independence

WHAT DOES CATALONIA THINK? Barcelona asserts that non-binding nature of “consultation” allows it to take place within legal confines of constitution

WHAT’S NEXT? Final option might be for President Mas to call early elections that could act as de facto poll on independence 

Catalans in
favour of Nov 9
referendum*
71%

*Poll by Catalan government’s Centre of Opinion Studies of 800 people, Sep 19-25. Margin of error: ±3.46 points 
Do you want Catalonia to become a state?
Yes No
If yes;
Do you want that state to be independent?
Yes
No

Picture: Getty Images