95% of 27% of Catalans for independence

A resounding 95% of Catalans—at least of those who voted—have answered "yes" to the question: "Are you in favour of a social and democratic sovereign Catalonian state within the European Union? In a non-binding referendum held on 13 December, residents of 166 Catalan towns and villages cast their votes at polling stations staffed by volunteers from a pro-independence collective, which organized the initiative in the hope that it will pave the way for a more formal ballot in the near future. The result was "an inconclusive victory for the sovereigntist front," notes the Barcelona daily El Periódico, which emphasizes "a low turnout of 27% that fell far short of the organisers' expectations." For Madrid daily El Mundo, the referendum was "a farce" but should nonetheless be taken into account—a view shared by La Vanguardia, which does not see the vote as a demonstration of popular support for independence but of increasing "concern" over the fate of the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia. AsEl Paísnotes, the vote was influenced by fears that the Constitutional court will impose "limitations to the statute of Catalonia" in a ruling which is expected over the next few days.