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A non-binding Catalan self-determination referendum, also known as the Citizen Participation Process on the Political Future of Catalonia, [1] was held on Sunday, 9 November 2014, to gauge support on the political future of Catalonia. While also referred to as "Catalan independence referendum", [2] [3] [4] the vote was rebranded as a "participation process" by the Government of Catalonia, after a "non-referendum popular consultation" on the same topic and for the same date had been suspended by the Constitutional Court of Spain. [5]
The ballot papers carried two questions: "Do you want Catalonia to become a State?" and "Do you want this State to be independent?" The second question could only be answered by those who had answered Yes to the first one. [6] The Catalan government gave notice on 10 November, the day after voting, that 2,305,290 votes had been cast overall, [7] but it did not provide a percentage figure for the turnout. Estimates for the turnout as published by the news media ranged from 37.0%, as given in The Economist and El País among others, [8] [9] [10] to 41.6% as per the Catalan government's preliminary data. [11] 80.8% of the cast votes supported the Yes–Yes option, 10.1% the Yes–No, 4.5% the No option.
Holding a referendum about the "political future of Catalonia" in 2014 was one of the items of the governance agreement ratified by Artur Mas from Convergence and Union (CiU) and Oriol Junqueras from Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) on 18 December 2012, [12] [13] [14] [15] that allowed Artur Mas to be voted in as President of the Generalitat of Catalonia for a second term.
On 19 September 2014, the Catalan parliament approved a call for a referendum on independence. [16] Eight days later Artur Mas announced that the vote was to be held on 9 November 2014. [17] The same day the Spanish government announced that it would block the effort by appealing to the Constitutional Court of Spain. [18] The Court decided to hear the Spanish government's case on 29 September 2014, and provisionally suspended the vote. [19] The Catalan Government subsequently announced the "temporary suspension" of the referendum campaign. [20]
On 14 October, Artur Mas proposed a "process of citizen participation" as an alternative to the original referendum. [21] The Spanish government announced that it would also block this effort by appealing to the Constitutional Court, which decided to hear the Spanish government's case on 4 November 2014, and provisionally suspended the vote. The Catalan Government, however, pushed forward with the "citizen participation" process, in defiance of the Constitutional Court, [22] and voting took place as planned on 9 November 2014.
In 2009 and 2011 unofficial referendums took place in hundreds of Catalan towns as one of the many actions included in the independentist-wing-parties' platforms; in the referendums the pro-independence option won an overwhelming majority of the votes cast, although the participation rate was very low.
In 2010 and 2012 different demonstrations took place in Barcelona. The first one took place on 10 July 2010. It featured a Catalan regionalist ideological leadership. The second one on 11 September 2012 was openly in favor of Catalan independence and had as a slogan "Catalonia, next state in Europe". As a consequence of this second demonstration, the Rt. Hon. Artur Mas, President of the Generalitat of Catalonia at that time, called a snap election, and the "Agreement for Freedom" was negotiated between Artur Mas (CiU "Conservativel local party") and Oriol Junqueras (ERC, Republican and socialistic-style left party).
Also, during 2012, dozens of Catalan towns declared themselves Free Catalan Territory stating that "the Spanish legislation and regulations have effect only in Spain, so this town will wait for new legislation and regulation from the Catalan Government and the Parliament of Catalonia."
The Catalan independence referendum is planned to take place during the tenth legislature of the Parliament of Catalonia. According to a resolution adopted by the Parliament of Catalonia on 27 September 2012:
The Parliament of Catalonia confirms the need for the people of Catalonia to be able to freely and democratically determine their collective future and urges the government to hold a referendum during the following legislature. [25]
The resolution was adopted after the general policy debate. It received 84 favourable votes, 21 against and 25 abstentions. [26] The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Artur Mas, declared in a speech to Parliament that it was time for the people of Catalonia to exercise the right of self-determination. [27]
On 23 January 2013 the Parliament of Catalonia adopted by 85 favourable votes, 41 against, and 2 abstentions the "Declaration of Sovereignty and of the Right to Decide of the Catalan People". [28] [29] [30] It states that "The people of Catalonia have – by reason of democratic legitimacy – the character of a sovereign political and legal entity." Five Socialist MPs did not vote. It is based on the following principles: sovereignty, democratic legitimacy, transparency, dialogue, social cohesion, Europeanism, legality, role of the Catalan Parliament and participation. [31] [32] [33]
In accordance with the democratically expressed will of the majority of the Catalan public, the Parliament of Catalonia initiates a process to bring to promote the right of the citizens of Catalonia to collectively decide their political future. [31]
The political parties Convergence and Union (CiU) (50 yes), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) (21 yes) and Initiative for Catalonia Greens-United and Alternative Left (ICV-EUiA) (13 yes) totally supported the statement of sovereignty. On the other hand, the People's Party of Catalonia (PPC) (19 no) and Citizens – Party of the Citizenry (C's) (9 no) totally opposed the proposal. 15 members of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC) voted against; 5 did not vote despite being present in the Chamber, thus disobeying the orders of the party whips to vote against the proposal. Finally, the Popular Unity Candidature (CUP) gave a "critical yes", with 1 vote in favour and 2 abstentions. [32]
On 8 May 2013 this purely political declaration was provisionally suspended by the Constitutional Court of Spain. [34] [35]
On 12 December 2013, the Government of Catalonia announced that a deal between Catalan nationalist parties had set the date and wording for the referendum on independence. The date would be 9 November 2014 and that it will contain a question with two sections: "Do you want Catalonia to become a State?" and "In case of an affirmative response, do you want this State to be independent?". [36] [37]
The date was chosen as it would allow for discussions with the Spanish Government in order "to stage the consultation legally", but the Spanish Government stated shortly thereafter its intention to block the referendum, stating: "Such a poll will not be held." [38] [39] Mariano Rajoy, Spanish Prime Minister, said that the referendum would be considered illegal and that "any discussion or debate on this is out of the question". [38] [40]
According to the consultation decree, "in the consultation there is a first question followed successively by a second question, and they are worded as follows: a) Do you want Catalonia to become a State? (Yes/No); If so: b) Do you want this State to be independent? (Yes/No). You can only answer the question under Letter b) in the event of having answered "Yes" to the question under Letter a)." [6] The "participation process" that has replaced the "non-referendum consultation" maintains the same two questions.
The participation process does not have an official electorate. [41] The vote has been called by the Catalan government for people who are at least 16 years of age on 9 November 2014 and who meet one of the following criteria: [42]
Catalan people who are resident in other Spanish regions, and Spanish citizens who live in Catalonia but are not resident there, cannot vote.
Estimates of the number of people eligible to vote range between 5.4 million [43] and 6.2 million. [44] [45]
On 25 March 2014, the Spanish Constitutional Court finally ruled that the sovereignty part of the "Declaration of Sovereignty and of the Right to Decide of the Catalan People" was "unconstitutional and null", and therefore did not allow a self-determination referendum to be held in Catalonia. [46] It however allows the part of the right to decide (allows to check the Catalan people's opinion by a legal consultation).[ citation needed ] The Catalan government declared that this ruling would "have no effect on the process". [47]
On 8 April 2014, the Spanish Congress rejected the Catalan parliament's request to give it the power to organize the self-determination referendum. The bill was voted down 299 (PP, PSOE, UPyD, UPN and Foro Asturias) to 47 (CiU, Izquierda Unida, PNV, BNG, Amaiur, ERC, Compromís and Geroa Bai), with one abstention (NC-CC). [48] [49]
On 19 September 2014 the Parliament of Catalonia approved by 106 favourable votes, 28 against, the Consultation law. According to pro-consultation parties, this law will provide the legal basis for the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Artur Mas, to hold the consultation (non-binding self-determination referendum) on independence from Spain on 9 November. [50]
On 27 September 2014, Catalan President Artur Mas signed a decree calling for a consultation on independence. [17] On 29 September 2014, the Spanish Constitutional Court provisionally suspended the vote. [19] The Catalan Government subsequently announced the "temporary suspension" of the referendum campaign. [20]
On 14 October, the Catalan President proposes a "process of citizen participation" as an alternative for the original referendum [21] The Spanish government announced that it would block the effort by appealing to the Spanish Constitutional Court, which decided to hear the Spanish government case on 4 November 2014, which provisionally suspended the vote. The Catalan Government announced they would push forward with the vote, in defiance of the Constitutional Court of Spain. [22] On 5 November, Catalan representatives complained against the Spanish Government to international organizations for blocking self-determination. [51]
Position of the parties with parliamentary representation in Catalonia (sorted by votes):
The Spanish Government "will not allow" and "will not negotiate" on Catalonia's self-determination vote. [38] [65]
Position of the parties with parliamentary representation in the Parliament of Spain (sorted by seats):
The Basque Government supports the Catalan agreement to hold the referendum and calls on the Spanish government to recognise the referendum and allow it to be celebrated. [77]
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Since December 2013, several surveys have been carried out on the two stated questions of the referendum. The "Yes/Yes"-option indicates the percentage of voters in favour of Catalonia becoming an independent state and the "Yes/No"-option indicates the percentage in favour of Catalonia becoming a state but against independence. Voters who vote in the first question no, are against Catalonia becoming a state.
Date published | Polling organisation | Yes/Yes | Yes/No | Yes/Undecided | No | Undecided/Abstention |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 2014 | El Mundo | 34.6% | 4.5% | 2.3% | 39.5% | 19.2% |
Mar 2014 | El Periódico de Catalunya | 46.1% | 4.4% | 2.8% | 31.9% | 14.8% |
5 Feb 2014 | 8 al dia Archived 27 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine | 40.7% | 3.8% | 3.5% | 24.4% | 27.5% |
16-19 Dec 2013 | La Vanguardia | 44.9% | 8.4% | - | 36.6% | 10.1% |
12-13 Dec 2013 | El Mundo | 35.2% | 5.5% | 2.3% | 39.1% | 17.9% |
12-13 Dec 2013 | El Periódico de Catalunya | 44.1% | 5.8% | 2.4% | 30.4% | 17.3% |
Date published | Polling organisation | Support | Reject | Undecided | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 2013 | Cadena SER Archived 22 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine | 52.3% | 24.1% | 23.6% | 28.2% |
Jun 2013 | Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió Archived 1 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine | 55.6% | 23.4% | 21% | 32.2% |
May 2013 | El Periódico de Catalunya | 57.8% | 36% | 6.2% | 21.8% |
Feb 2013 | Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió | 54.7% | 20.7% | 24.6% | 34% |
Sep 2012 | Telecinco (GESOP) | 50.9% | 18.6% | 30.5% | 32.3% |
Jul 2012 | Diari Ara | 50.4% | 23.8% | 25.8% | 26.6% |
Jun 2012 | Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió | 51.1% | 21.1% | 27.8% | 30% |
Mar 2012 | Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió Archived 27 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine | 44.6% | 24.7% | 30.7% | 19.9% |
Jan 2012 | El Periódico de Catalunya | 53.6% | 32% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
Trends in support for Catalan independence can be observed by comparing more recent surveys with that carried out by Spain's Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas in 1996, which asked "Personally, would you support or reject Catalonia becoming independent?".
Date published | Polling organisation | Support | Reject | Undecided | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Institut de Ciències Polítiques i Socials | 41.4% | 22.9% | 35.7% | 18.5% |
1996 | Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas | 33.6% | 53.5% | 13.1% | 19.9% |
The Catalan government indicated that 2,305,290 votes were cast overall, [7] out of 5.4m eligible voters. [95] The Catalan government did not provide a final turnout percentage figure. Turnout estimates published by media outlets range between 37.0% [8] [9] [10] and 41.6% (the latter figure, based on the Catalan government's preliminary data). [11] 80.8% of the cast votes supported the Yes-Yes option, 10.1% the Yes-No, 4.5% the No option.
Choice | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes/Yes | 1,861,753 | 80.76 | ||
Yes/No | 232,182 | 10.07 | ||
Yes/Blank ballots | 22,466 | 0.97 | ||
Total Yes | 2,116,401 | 91.80 | ||
No | 104,760 | 4.54 | ||
Total No | 104,760 | 4.54 | ||
Blank ballots | 12,986 | 0.56 | ||
Others | 71,131 | 3.09 | ||
Total | 2,305,290 | 100.00 | ||
Source: Generalitat of Catalonia |
Turnout varied greatly across the 41 administrative districts of Catalonia. It was higher than 50% in twelve of them, whereas in two it was lower than 25%. The proportion of Yes-Yes votes over the total electorate ranged between 12.9% (Val d'Aran) and 56.9% (Priorat). In the most populous district (Barcelonès) turnout was 32.5% and the overall proportion of Yes-Yes votes reached 24.9%. [96]
Below is a table outlining the results of the referendum by district. The table does not consider turnout.
District [97] | First question | Second question | Yes-Yes / total % | Valid ballots | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Blank | Oth | Yes % | Yes-Yes | Yes-No | Yes-Abs | Y-Y % | |||
Alt Camp | 16,018 | 519 | 123 | 526 | 93.20% | 15,012 | 846 | 160 | 93.72% | 87.35% | 17,186 |
Alt Empordà | 39,017 | 1,474 | 259 | 1,390 | 92.59% | 36,131 | 2,349 | 537 | 92.60% | 85.74% | 42,140 |
Alt Penedès | 39,906 | 1,227 | 219 | 1,183 | 93.82% | 36,648 | 2,846 | 412 | 91.84% | 86.16% | 42,535 |
Alt Urgell | 7,454 | 203 | 78 | 222 | 93.68% | 6,854 | 485 | 115 | 91.95% | 86.14% | 7,957 |
Alta Ribagorça | 1,195 | 60 | 9 | 37 | 91.85% | 1,033 | 150 | 12 | 86.44% | 79.40% | 1,301 |
Anoia | 36,885 | 1,705 | 188 | 1,460 | 91.67% | 33,365 | 3,077 | 443 | 90.46% | 82.92% | 40,238 |
Bages | 67,858 | 2,457 | 465 | 1,657 | 93.68% | 62,593 | 4,561 | 704 | 92.24% | 86.41% | 72,437 |
Baix Camp | 49,437 | 2,477 | 309 | 1,700 | 91.68% | 44,779 | 4,074 | 584 | 90.58% | 83.04% | 53,923 |
Baix Ebre | 25,384 | 962 | 227 | 821 | 92.66% | 23,435 | 1,638 | 311 | 92.32% | 85.55% | 27,394 |
Baix Empordà | 42,539 | 1,326 | 249 | 1,344 | 93.58% | 39,586 | 2,469 | 484 | 93.06% | 87.08% | 45,458 |
Baix Llobregat | 174,760 | 14,945 | 937 | 7,110 | 88.37% | 142,611 | 30,329 | 1,820 | 81.60% | 72.12% | 197,752 |
Baix Penedès | 19,955 | 1,240 | 114 | 812 | 90.21% | 17,753 | 1,977 | 225 | 88.97% | 80.25% | 22,121 |
Barcelonès | 569,470 | 32,475 | 3,469 | 20,060 | 91.05% | 479,315 | 84,171 | 5,984 | 84.17% | 76.63% | 625,474 |
Berguedà | 19,450 | 287 | 149 | 471 | 95.54% | 18,706 | 612 | 132 | 96.17% | 91.89% | 20,357 |
Cerdanya | 6,019 | 191 | 56 | 234 | 92.60% | 5,554 | 389 | 76 | 92.27% | 85.45% | 6,500 |
Conca de Barberà | 9,534 | 197 | 70 | 306 | 94.33% | 9,047 | 388 | 99 | 94.89% | 89.51% | 10,107 |
Garraf | 37,398 | 1,935 | 186 | 1,331 | 91.55% | 32,730 | 4,268 | 400 | 87.52% | 80.12% | 40,850 |
Garrigues | 9,384 | 173 | 92 | 191 | 95.37% | 8,836 | 396 | 152 | 94.16% | 89.80% | 9,840 |
Garrotxa | 24,686 | 377 | 173 | 617 | 95.49% | 23,652 | 789 | 245 | 95.81% | 91.49% | 25,853 |
Gironès | 63,622 | 1,687 | 346 | 1,607 | 94.59% | 59,374 | 3,723 | 525 | 93.32% | 88.27% | 67,262 |
Maresme | 137,705 | 5,013 | 724 | 4,088 | 93.34% | 123,179 | 13,236 | 1,290 | 89.45% | 83.49% | 147,530 |
Montsià | 21,021 | 921 | 166 | 801 | 91.76% | 19,256 | 1,445 | 320 | 91.60% | 84.05% | 22,909 |
Noguera | 15,502 | 398 | 169 | 358 | 94.37% | 14,511 | 758 | 233 | 93.61% | 88.34% | 16,427 |
Osona | 71,397 | 1,076 | 441 | 1,309 | 96.19% | 68,233 | 2,616 | 548 | 95.57% | 91.93% | 74,223 |
Pallars Jussà | 5,308 | 114 | 44 | 147 | 94.57% | 4,981 | 272 | 55 | 93.84% | 88.74% | 5,613 |
Pallars Sobirà | 2,934 | 52 | 24 | 74 | 95.14% | 2,738 | 156 | 40 | 93.32% | 88.78% | 3,084 |
Pla d'Urgell | 14,698 | 398 | 147 | 340 | 94.32% | 13,817 | 699 | 182 | 94.01% | 88.67% | 15,583 |
Pla de l'Estany | 14,818 | 177 | 85 | 231 | 96.78% | 14,187 | 483 | 148 | 95.74% | 92.66% | 15,311 |
Priorat | 5,132 | 82 | 28 | 124 | 95.64% | 4,887 | 177 | 68 | 95.23% | 91.07% | 5,366 |
Ribera d'Ebre | 9,491 | 310 | 90 | 282 | 93.30% | 8,841 | 531 | 119 | 93.15% | 86.91% | 10,173 |
Ripollès | 12,465 | 288 | 102 | 334 | 94.51% | 11,762 | 534 | 169 | 94.36% | 89.18% | 13,189 |
Segarra | 8,219 | 199 | 67 | 247 | 94.13% | 7,715 | 396 | 108 | 93.87% | 88.35% | 8,732 |
Segrià | 60,825 | 2,843 | 468 | 1,926 | 92.07% | 54,538 | 5,545 | 742 | 89.66% | 82.56% | 66,062 |
Selva | 49,105 | 1,871 | 272 | 1,652 | 92.83% | 45,249 | 3,294 | 562 | 92.15% | 85.54% | 52,900 |
Solsonès | 5,915 | 106 | 56 | 139 | 95.16% | 5,572 | 283 | 60 | 94.20% | 89.64% | 6,216 |
Tarragonès | 48,678 | 3,971 | 294 | 2,003 | 88.59% | 42,472 | 5,635 | 571 | 87.25% | 77.30% | 54,946 |
Terra Alta | 4,773 | 184 | 42 | 166 | 92.41% | 4,404 | 282 | 87 | 92.27% | 85.27% | 5,165 |
Urgell | 14,919 | 328 | 112 | 387 | 94.75% | 14,023 | 701 | 195 | 93.99% | 89.06% | 15,746 |
Val d'Aran | 1,365 | 223 | 24 | 131 | 78.31% | 1,091 | 241 | 33 | 79.93% | 62.59% | 1,743 |
Vallès Occidental | 234,129 | 14,254 | 1,255 | 9,177 | 90.46% | 199,433 | 32,402 | 2,294 | 85.18% | 77.06% | 258,815 |
Vallès Oriental | 118,031 | 6,047 | 658 | 4,136 | 91.59% | 103,850 | 12,959 | 1,222 | 87.99% | 80.58% | 128,872 |
Catalonia | 2,116,401 | 104,772 | 12,986 | 71,131 | 91.81% | 1,861,753 | 232,182 | 22,466 | 87.97% | 80.76% | 2,305,290 |
Catalan president Artur Mas said the vote was "a lesson in democracy." Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the vote a "deep failure" because "two-thirds of Catalans did not participate" and he claimed it violated a ruling of the Constitutional Court. [98]
On 6 February 2017, a trial against the former president of the Government of Catalonia Artur Mas, the former vice president Joana Ortega and the former Catalan education minister Irene Rigau was held by the Supreme Court of Catalan Justice. They were accused of serious civil disobedience and perverting the course of justice for having authorized the unofficial vote on 9 November 2014 in defiance of its prohibition by the Constitutional Court of Spain. Prosecutors were calling for Artur Mas to be disqualified from office for 10 years, while Ortega and Rigau for 9. The trial focused on the events since the suspension decided by the Constitutional Court on 4 November 2014, until the beginning of the popular vote, on 9 November. [99] [100] [101]
In the event, in March 2017 Mas was barred from public office for two years by a court in Barcelona for organizing an illegal vote in defiance of the Spanish courts. He was also fined 36,500 euros; Joana Ortega and Irene Rigau, were also convicted, barred 21 months and 18 months, respectively, as well as receiving lesser fines. [102]
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