SPAIN-CATALONIA/VOTE-POLLS OPEN Polls open in Catalonia for symbolic independence vote
Record ID:
328362
SPAIN-CATALONIA/VOTE-POLLS OPEN Polls open in Catalonia for symbolic independence vote
- Title: SPAIN-CATALONIA/VOTE-POLLS OPEN Polls open in Catalonia for symbolic independence vote
- Date: 9th November 2014
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 09, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE POLLING STATION SIGN READING "PARTICIPATIVE STATION" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING POLLING STATION OPENING AND PEOPLE ENTERING PEOPLE ENTERING POLLING STATION MAN CASTING HIS BALLOT INTO BALLOT BOX BALLOT FALLING INTO BOX PEOPLE QUEUING WOMEN QUEUING WOMAN TAKING PICTURE OF HER FRIEND CASTING HER BALLOT CLOSE UP OF PICTURE (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) BARCELONA RESIDENT, MARIA TERESA CASANOVAS, SAYING: "My heart is beating like crazy. I can't explain how excited I am. I am extremely happy. I underwent surgery last Wednesday and this is my first time out since then. I am here just to vote." VARIOUS OF DOG AT POLLING STATION WEARING SCARF WITH CATALAN SEPARATIST FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) BARCELONA RESIDENT, INMA ZANUI, SAYING: "I am so excited I can't speak. I am very happy. I have felt this way for many years and I want our country to move forward. If we don't do this we won't move forward." MAN WEARING FC BARCELONA T-SHIRT MAN WEARING FC BARCELONA T-SHIRT VOTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA RESIDENT JOSE PABLO NUIBO, SAYING: "(I am here) because it was banned. Because it was banned. It is like a quiz. It is as if someone was asking me whether I like Coke or not. Who can ban others from asking a question? Look at these people. You see the kind of people they are. Who can be afraid of these people?" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING
- Embargoed: 24th November 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAEMOI93C9U8DLVKP77O0VQ1DKT
- Story Text: Catalans queued early on Sunday (November 9), as polls opened in what is expected to be the strongest show of support to date for breaking away from the rest of Spain in a symbolic independence referendum.
Opinion polls show that as many as 80 per cent of the 7.5 million people in the north-east region want more autonomy from Spain, with about 50 per cent in favour of complete independence.
Hundreds of thousands of Catalans are expected to support independence in Sunday's symbolic vote.
"My heart is beating like crazy. I can't explain how excited I am. I am extremely happy. I underwent surgery last Wednesday and this is my first time out since then. I am here just to vote," Maria Teresa Casanovas told Reuters.
"I am so excited I can't speak. I am very happy. I have felt this way for many years and I want our country to move forward. If we don't do this we won't move forward," added Inma Zanui, who had dressed her dog in the Catalan national flag.
Secessionist-minded politicians helped by cultural organisations and thousands of volunteers organised the informal vote after Spain's High Court issued an injunction preventing a formal but non-binding referendum.
Jose Pablo Nuibo, who wore an FC Barcelona t-shirt while voting, said the move from Madrid to block an official vote was what encouraged him to cast his ballot.
"(I am here) because it was banned. Because it was banned. It is like a quiz. It is as if someone was asking me whether I like Coke or not. Who can ban others from asking a question? Look at these people. You see the kind of people they are. Who can be afraid of these people?" he said.
The chances of a formal vote on Catalan autonomy remain slim, partly because regional authorities are themselves divided over the desired extent of powers for the region.
Pro-independence politicians hope a high level of support will prompt Spain's central government to sit down with them and negotiate more tax and political autonomy, or even convince Madrid to accept a full-blown independence referendum in the future.
The autonomous community of Catalonia accounts for one-fifth of Spain's economic output and its long-standing desire for independence has been fuelled by the country's deep recession over the past few years.
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