SPAIN: Catalan president Artur Mas votes at the polling station, saying that Catalonia has to decide about its future in the next four years
Record ID:
327844
SPAIN: Catalan president Artur Mas votes at the polling station, saying that Catalonia has to decide about its future in the next four years
- Title: SPAIN: Catalan president Artur Mas votes at the polling station, saying that Catalonia has to decide about its future in the next four years
- Date: 25th November 2012
- Summary: MAS ATTENDING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN PRESIDENT ARTUR MAS, SAYING: "Today it is a special day for our country. Because I think people are conscious that for the first time we are deciding our collective future. And this is something a little bit new, because we have been collaborating with the Spanish state for decades, for many centuries. But now, probably a majority of the Catalan society understands that the moment has arrived in the sense that we will have to decide about our collective future." CAMERAMEN/ MAS TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) CATALAN PRESIDENT ARTUR MAS, SAYING: "I am happy because I see there is a very high participation in this process and this is also positive. It is the essence of democracy. People going to vote, people taking decisions and so on." MOBILE PHONE/ MAS POSING WITH VOTER VARIOUS OF MAS TALKING WITH VOTER MAS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 10th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6ADXQGPOHQ1X344ZTK8G8F95Y
- Story Text: Catalan president Artur Mas voted on Sunday (November 25) as citizens of the Spanish north-easter region, angry over rising unemployment and persistent recession, are expected to deliver their separatist leader a mandate to press for secession.
Opinion polls show two-thirds of voters will vote for parties that want Catalan independence, and the election may therefore provoke a constitutional crisis over the legality of a referendum on independence.
Many Catalans believe they are taxed unfairly, crimping local spending on infrastructure and job creation. An estimated 16 billion euros ($21 billion) in taxes paid in Catalonia, about 8 percent of its economic output, is not returned to the region.
Mas's conservative Convergence and Union party, or CiU, is seen winning the most seats in the 135-seat regional assembly, or Parliament.
But the projected 62 to 64 CiU deputies is short of an absolute majority, so Mas - newly converted to separatism - will have to team up with smaller pro-independence groups such as the Republican Left, or ERC, to push ahead with a plebiscite.
That will put him on a collision course with Madrid, where Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will use the constitution to block a referendum.
"You know what is on stake today is the fact that Catalonia can decide about its future in the next four years or not. Even if you are for a new state, independence or not we are here to allow Catalans to decide about their future with freedom," he told reporters after voting.
After the vote Mas will struggle to push conflicting agendas: his promised referendum on independence and his drive to cut Catalonia's high deficit.
While the Republican Left may ally with him to push a referendum, it may pressure him to give up some spending cuts in exchange. The PP may support budget cuts but will try to block the referendum.
But Mas was hopeful Catalans would allow him to go on with his agenda.
"Today it is a special day for our country. Because I think people are conscious that for the first time we are deciding our collective future. And this is something a little bit new, because we have been collaborating with the Spanish state for decades, for many centuries. But now, probably a majority of the Catalan society understands that the moment has arrived in the sense that we will have to decide about our collective future," he stated.
The 56 year old leader said he felt happy as Catalans were an example of the essence of democracy.
"I am happy because I see there is a very high participation in this process and this is also positive. It is the essence of democracy. People going to vote, people taking decisions and so on," he said, before leaving. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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