Defiant Catalans hold referendum

About two million people in Spain's northeast provinces voted in an independence referendum opposed by the Government. Photo / AP

The polling stations were makeshift, the election officers all volunteers and the whole process suspended twice for being potentially illegal, but Catalonia's much-disputed unofficial referendum on independence from Spain finally went ahead.

More than two million votes were cast of the approximately five million on the electoral roll and abroad.

"We have voted and whatever happens we have won," Carme Forcadell, the president of ANC, one of the largest pro-nationalist organisations, said.

The fact all the 1317 polling stations, manned by 40,900 volunteers, had opened across Catalonia "already makes this a success", she said.

The ballot was held amid strong opposition from the Spanish Government. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had said "this is no referendum or consultation and will have no effect", adding "whilst I'm in charge, nothing will threaten Spain's unity".

But some voters in the small town of Corbera de Llobregat, like retired journalist Javier De Dalmases, argued that Madrid's determination to block the poll had spectacularly backfired.

"I'm not pro-independence, and three months ago I'd have told you, in no uncertain terms, that this vote wasn't worth anything," De Dalmases said. "But the way Madrid has treated us [has made] me change my mind."

Loli Martos Caracuel, an English teacher in her twenties from the Catalan town of Granollers, said: "I'm in favour of independence but the important thing is to let people vote ... How on earth is it possible for a Government to prohibit us from voting? That's why people are cross."

Twice -- in its original form and in the watered-down form held yesterday -- the vote had been declared potentially illegal and suspended by Spain's constitutional court. There was little Madrid could do to stop it. Rather than state employees taking responsibility for the polling stations, in many cases the buildings' keys were handed to election volunteers. The 2.5 million pamphlets urging people to vote were sent out by private firms, not the state-owned postal service.

Critics pointed out that the two questions on the ballot were identical to the original referendum and it was held on the same date.

5 Facts on Catalan vote

1 About 80.7 per cent of two million Catalans voted in favour of independence from Spain.
2 Voters were asked: "Do you want Catalonia to be a state?" If answered affirmatively, the ballot paper then asked: "Do you want that state to be independent?"
3 Of the 2,043,226 ballots counted so far, 1,649,239 voted yes to both questions.
4 Just over 10 per cent, or 206,599 ballots, voted yes for the the first question and no for the second while 92,939 ballots, or 4.5 per cent, voted no to both questions.
5 There was no official electoral roll but the regional government said 5.4 million Catalans and resident foreigners aged 16 were eligible to vote.

- Independent, AFP