Catalan President Artur Mas casts his ballot in Catalonia’s regional parliamentary election in Barcelona.

AFP
Barcelona
Catalans voted yesterday in an election seen as crucial for Spain’s future, with opinion polls pointing to a win by separatists who vow to declare the region independent by 2017.
The drive to break the rich northeastern region away from Spain and create a new state in Europe has prompted a fierce stand-off with the Spanish government.
After voting in central Barcelona, the region’s president Artur Mas hailed the election as “a great victory for democracy” regardless of who might win.
After the Spanish government blocked him from holding a straight referendum, Mas portrayed yesterday’s vote for the regional parliament as a chance for “freedom” from rule by Madrid.
“We have had to overcome many obstacles from the state institutions,” he said yesterday. “But at last the ballot boxes are in place and there will be a plebiscite, politically speaking, on the future of Catalonia.”
His separatist alliance has vowed to declare independence by 2017 if it secures a majority in the parliament, even without a majority of votes.
Centre-left national newspaper El Pais declared the election “historic”.
Spain’s national government brands secession illegal and wants the country to stay united as the eurozone’s fourth-biggest economy recovers from recession.
Officials said that turnout was 63% by 6pm (1600 GMT) – just two hours before polls closed – nearly 7% higher than in the last regional election in 2012.
Campaigning against independence, the national ruling Popular Party’s candidate Xavier Garcia Albiol said it looked like a “historic turnout” and urged Catalans to vote “regardless of their opinion”.
Campaigning has been tense and emotional but no incidents were reported.
Personalities such as Barcelona football club’s beloved former coach Pep Guardiola back independence.
Their current coach Luis Enrique – not a Catalan native – said on Twitter that he had voted, but did not say who for.
“Today Catalonia decides,” he wrote. “Long live Catalonia!”
Past polls have indicated Catalans favour a referendum but are evenly split over independence.
“Without independence, nothing will change,” said Alex Donate, 29. “I love Spain, but I think independence will be good for us.”
In the Barcelona suburb of Badalona, school dinner lady Conchi Machado, 61, also voted for the independence movement.
“I have a divided heart. Deep down I don’t want independence. I am not convinced by the separatists. But I am fed up of not being listened to” by Madrid, she said.
Mas says that the region would be better off independent, with greater control over its taxes.
“That guy is a liar,” said Francisco Serrano, a 70-year-old former labourer in the Barcelona suburb of Santa Coloma de Gramenet who voted against independence. “Things would get worse.”
With its own language and cultural traditions, Catalonia has seen numerous bids for greater autonomy over the past century.
Secessionist demands have surged in the recent economic crisis.
Nationalists complain that they get less back from Madrid than it takes in taxes.
Mas wants Catalonia to follow Scotland and Quebec in Canada by holding a vote on independence – though in both those cases most voters chose not to break away.
Madrid has garnered support from US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron, who have defended the unity of Spain.
Opinion polls showed the conservative Mas and his left-wing allies in the list “Together For Yes” could win a majority out of the 135 seats in the regional parliament and nearly half the votes overall.
However, they may need to strike an accord with CUP, an anti-capitalist movement.
More than 5.5mn of Catalonia’s 7.5mn inhabitants are eligible to vote.