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Catalonia election: Voters in bid to solve political crisis | Catalonia election: Voters in bid to solve political crisis |
(34 minutes later) | |
The people of Catalonia are going to the polls in a closely watched regional election called by Spain following a controversial independence referendum. | The people of Catalonia are going to the polls in a closely watched regional election called by Spain following a controversial independence referendum. |
The snap election pits parties who want Catalonia to be an independent republic against those who wish it to remain a semi-autonomous part of Spain. | The snap election pits parties who want Catalonia to be an independent republic against those who wish it to remain a semi-autonomous part of Spain. |
All indications are that the result will be very close. | All indications are that the result will be very close. |
A BBC correspondent says there seems little prospect that the election will solve the region's political crisis. | A BBC correspondent says there seems little prospect that the election will solve the region's political crisis. |
The Spanish daily El Pais said on its front page on Wednesday that one million undecided voters could have the last word. | The Spanish daily El Pais said on its front page on Wednesday that one million undecided voters could have the last word. |
On Thursday, polling stations opened at 09:00 local time (08:00 GMT) and will close at 20:00, with the first official results expected shortly afterwards. | |
The results and reaction will be covered live on the BBC News website from 17:30 GMT. | |
Who is predicted to win? | Who is predicted to win? |
An aggregate of polls published earlier this week by El Pais suggests the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) will come top, slightly ahead of Ciudadanos (Cs), which wants unity with Spain. | An aggregate of polls published earlier this week by El Pais suggests the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) will come top, slightly ahead of Ciudadanos (Cs), which wants unity with Spain. |
The pro-independence JxCat party of ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was predicted to come third. That would mean no parliamentary majority in favour of independence and possibly lengthy negotiations to form a government. | The pro-independence JxCat party of ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont was predicted to come third. That would mean no parliamentary majority in favour of independence and possibly lengthy negotiations to form a government. |
The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Barcelona says there is every prospect that the two sides in the independence debate will once again end up with a similar share of the vote and the election will restate Catalonia's problem rather than resolve it. | The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Barcelona says there is every prospect that the two sides in the independence debate will once again end up with a similar share of the vote and the election will restate Catalonia's problem rather than resolve it. |
Why is this election happening? | Why is this election happening? |
Separatists who dominated the Catalan parliament declared independence on 27 October following a controversial referendum at the beginning of the month described as illegal by Madrid. | Separatists who dominated the Catalan parliament declared independence on 27 October following a controversial referendum at the beginning of the month described as illegal by Madrid. |
In an attempt to stop the referendum on 1 October, Spanish police stormed polling stations ahead of the vote. However voters defied the Spanish courts and riot police to cast their ballots. | In an attempt to stop the referendum on 1 October, Spanish police stormed polling stations ahead of the vote. However voters defied the Spanish courts and riot police to cast their ballots. |
The move led to violent clashes with hundreds of people reported injured. Footage showing police tackling people at polling stations and pulling a woman by her hair caused outrage. | The move led to violent clashes with hundreds of people reported injured. Footage showing police tackling people at polling stations and pulling a woman by her hair caused outrage. |
According to the organisers, 90% of voters were in favour of independence, but fewer than half the region's electorate took part. | According to the organisers, 90% of voters were in favour of independence, but fewer than half the region's electorate took part. |
Mr Puigdemont, Catalonia's president at the time, decided it was enough to declare independence from Spain. | Mr Puigdemont, Catalonia's president at the time, decided it was enough to declare independence from Spain. |
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then sacked the Catalan government, imposed direct rule and called the 21 December election. | Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then sacked the Catalan government, imposed direct rule and called the 21 December election. |
What happened to the Catalan government? | What happened to the Catalan government? |
Prosecutors accused 13 Catalan separatist politicians of rebellion and sedition, including Mr Puigdemont and four others who fled to Belgium. | Prosecutors accused 13 Catalan separatist politicians of rebellion and sedition, including Mr Puigdemont and four others who fled to Belgium. |
Other pro-independence politicians are in Spanish prisons. | Other pro-independence politicians are in Spanish prisons. |
As a result, campaigning for Thursday's snap election has led to some unusual scenes, with Mr Puigdemont addressing rallies via a videolink from Brussels. | As a result, campaigning for Thursday's snap election has led to some unusual scenes, with Mr Puigdemont addressing rallies via a videolink from Brussels. |
His former deputy, Oriol Junqueras, has sent messages to supporters from inside prison. | His former deputy, Oriol Junqueras, has sent messages to supporters from inside prison. |
In the run-up to the referendum Mr Puigdemont's JxCat party had been allied to the ERC, led by Mr Junqueras. | In the run-up to the referendum Mr Puigdemont's JxCat party had been allied to the ERC, led by Mr Junqueras. |
But the ERC has opted out of a new alliance making Mr Junqueras the main separatist rival to Mr Puigdemont. | But the ERC has opted out of a new alliance making Mr Junqueras the main separatist rival to Mr Puigdemont. |
In a recent veiled jibe at Mr Puigdemont, Mr Junqueras said he was in jail "to face the consequences" and because "I don't hide from my actions". | In a recent veiled jibe at Mr Puigdemont, Mr Junqueras said he was in jail "to face the consequences" and because "I don't hide from my actions". |
So what about Catalonia's future? | So what about Catalonia's future? |
Some voters have expressed their concerns for the future. | Some voters have expressed their concerns for the future. |
"I think many positions have become very extreme," said Assumpta Corell, 21, a university student from Castelldefels who said she would vote for the centrist, pro-unity party Ciudadanos. | "I think many positions have become very extreme," said Assumpta Corell, 21, a university student from Castelldefels who said she would vote for the centrist, pro-unity party Ciudadanos. |
"People who have one opinion will maintain it, people who have a different opinion will continue thinking differently, which is great, but the problem comes when politics plays at dividing people even more." | "People who have one opinion will maintain it, people who have a different opinion will continue thinking differently, which is great, but the problem comes when politics plays at dividing people even more." |
Musician Marc Botey, 47, said he would be voting for the ERC but was "anticipating problems, whoever wins". | Musician Marc Botey, 47, said he would be voting for the ERC but was "anticipating problems, whoever wins". |
He said he hoped the election would at least clarify how many independence supporters there are in Catalonia. | He said he hoped the election would at least clarify how many independence supporters there are in Catalonia. |