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| Catalan independence: Hundreds of thousands rally for break with Spain | Catalan independence: Hundreds of thousands rally for break with Spain |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Some 800,000 people have turned out in Barcelona and other towns in Catalonia on a day of rallies by nationalists wishing to break with Spain. | Some 800,000 people have turned out in Barcelona and other towns in Catalonia on a day of rallies by nationalists wishing to break with Spain. |
| Police say 540,000 people rallied in Barcelona, the capital of the region in north-east Spain, while the rest gathered in four other Catalan towns. | Police say 540,000 people rallied in Barcelona, the capital of the region in north-east Spain, while the rest gathered in four other Catalan towns. |
| But numbers were down sharply compared with last year's event, when 1.4 million rallied in Barcelona alone. | But numbers were down sharply compared with last year's event, when 1.4 million rallied in Barcelona alone. |
| Spain has consistently blocked attempts to hold a referendum on secession. | Spain has consistently blocked attempts to hold a referendum on secession. |
| Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont had urged support for "converting Catalonia into an independent state". | Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont had urged support for "converting Catalonia into an independent state". |
| Divisions have also emerged between the separatist movement's main political grouping in the Catalan parliament, the Together for Yes coalition, and its radical leftwing ally, the CUP. | Divisions have also emerged between the separatist movement's main political grouping in the Catalan parliament, the Together for Yes coalition, and its radical leftwing ally, the CUP. |
| Mr Puigdemont, who took power in January, faces a confidence vote on 28 September. | Mr Puigdemont, who took power in January, faces a confidence vote on 28 September. |
| He advocates a negotiated withdrawal from Spain. | |
| When Catalan nationalists held an unofficial referendum on independence in November 2014, 80% of those who voted backed independence. | When Catalan nationalists held an unofficial referendum on independence in November 2014, 80% of those who voted backed independence. |
| Sunday is the "Diada", Catalonia's national day. It commemorates the moment in 1714 when Barcelona fell to troops loyal to Spain's King Philip V during the War of the Spanish Succession. | Sunday is the "Diada", Catalonia's national day. It commemorates the moment in 1714 when Barcelona fell to troops loyal to Spain's King Philip V during the War of the Spanish Succession. |
| "We have to move towards the final outcome," 58-year-old office clerk Xavier Borras, who planned to attend the rally in Barcelona with a friend, told AFP news agency. | "We have to move towards the final outcome," 58-year-old office clerk Xavier Borras, who planned to attend the rally in Barcelona with a friend, told AFP news agency. |
| "We can't wait any longer." | "We can't wait any longer." |
| Spain's leading parties, deadlocked in their efforts to form a new government after two inconclusive general elections since December, have shown little sympathy for Catalan grievances. | Spain's leading parties, deadlocked in their efforts to form a new government after two inconclusive general elections since December, have shown little sympathy for Catalan grievances. |
| The region of 7.5 million people makes up 16% of Spain's population and accounts for almost 19% of national GDP. | The region of 7.5 million people makes up 16% of Spain's population and accounts for almost 19% of national GDP. |