Turnout in an "informal" referendum on 13 December on whether wealthy Catalonia should secede from Spain fell short of organisers' hopes, but they said enough voters showed up to energise their separatist campaign. About 30% of 700,000 eligible voters in 170 towns and villages in the region's Catalan-language-speaking heartland voted on the question of whether Catalonia should become an independent state within the European Union, organisers said. This was below the 40% target initially mentioned by leaders of the campaign, which aims to put pressure on Catalonia's biggest political parties to call for a real referendum on secession in the future.
About 30% of 700,000 eligible voters in 170 towns and villages in the region's Catalan-language-speaking heartland voted on the question of whether Catalonia should become an independent state within the European Union, organisers said.
This was below the 40% target initially mentioned by leaders of the campaign, which aims to put pressure on Catalonia's biggest political parties to call for a real referendum on secession in the future.
The Spanish government says the constitution would not allow a real referendum on regional independence.
