Pro-Catalan independence parties won a majority in the region's election on Sunday.
Artur Mas' centre-right CiU part won 50 sets out of 135 and the left-wing separatist ERC won 21.
Speaking to reporters after the election results, Mas stressed that his disappointing result - 62 seats down from last year - was a reflection of austerity cuts and not reflective of separatism.
Both the CiU and the ERC have pledged to hold an effective referendum on independence. Although said to be illegal under Spanish law at present, the parties have said they plan to circumvent this by announcing a public consultation discourse, rather than a formal referendum.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
