Vote in the Catalan regional election!

[Eddie Teach]

Regarding the three unionist parties, #1 are liberals,  #3 are conservatives and #4 are social-democrats.

I'm guessing #4.

[celedhring]

Yup, it's #4.

[celedhring]

Record turnout, above 70% (no official figures yet). Exit polls show a decisive separatist win, but they haven't been too reliable in the past.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Record turnout, above 70% (no official figures yet). Exit polls show a decisive separatist win, but they haven't been too reliable in the past.

one may hope.
That said: from what I've been reading it's not like Madrid hasn't been going out if it's way to piss of the Catalans in about every conceivable way. From alluding to military aggression over defacto rendering Catalunya's devolved powers meaningless by opposing everything the local government enacted to denying rights guaranteed to every Spaniard (which the Catalans still are, and apparently could stay according to the constitution) and being called out on it (http://english.vilaweb.cat/noticies/rajoy-unable-to-argue-why-the-catalans-would-no-longer-be-european-citizens-during-a-radio-interview/). And of course the mudslinging in the press. But I don't think we can expect anything more from the press anyways, regardless of nationality.

Regardless, with all that's being going on the past few years -globally- I'd like to know who the asshole was who thought it might be funny to live in interesting times. 

[Valmy]

Record turnout, above 70% (no official figures yet). Exit polls show a decisive separatist win, but they haven't been too reliable in the past.

[celedhring]

Separatists lose the popular vote but win a narrow majority of seats. Hot lady's party trebles their number of MPs and will be the second largest party in parliament - still some distance behind the separatists though.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Separatists lose the popular vote but win a narrow majority of seats. Hot lady's party trebles their number of MPs and will be the second largest party in parliament - still some distance behind the separatists though.

worst possible scenario as nothing is clear

[KRonn]

Separatists lose the popular vote but win a narrow majority of seats. Hot lady's party trebles their number of MPs and will be the second largest party in parliament - still some distance behind the separatists though.

Does it seem likely now that the separatist parties have a majority that they'll vote to separate from Spain? And if they do vote that way is it actually doable to leave Spain very easily?

[Valmy]

Pretty sure just leaving exceeds their authority a bit, but if they had a strong enough mandate they could negotiate a plebiscite with the Spanish government. Since they did not get a majority of the vote they might not be able to do that yet. But who knows?

[DontSayBanana]

Hopefully not the hot chick, cause that puts a wrinkle in my plan to one day marry her. 

Marry?  I'd settle for bang.

[Valmy]

LOL at the CUP party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Unity_Candidacy

Libertarian Socialism!

[celedhring]

What's so weird about that? Anarcho-sindicalism has a strong tradition in Catalonia and they inherited that.

Weirdly, I consider them one of the most refreshingly honest parties in Spain. Wrong in about 90% of the things they defend, but pretty upfront about what they want, and how it should be done, compared to the big majority of our parties.

For example, the main separatist front wants to go forward with unilateral independence. They need CUP votes for that - who are separatists themselves. But CUP has said unilateral independence isn't viable since they didn't win the popular vote.

When the far left party has more sense than you, you really need to take a long and hard look at yourself.

[Valmy]

What's so weird about that? Anarcho-sindicalism has a strong tradition in Catalonia and they inherited that.

Nothing weird about it, Languish joke from way back.

[Valmy]

For example, the main separatist front wants to go forward with unilateral independence. They need CUP votes for that - who are separatists themselves. But CUP has said unilateral independence isn't viable since they didn't win the popular vote.

So are there no installations controlled by the Spanish government in Catalonia? How they are going to do so unilaterally? Just show up with guns and seize them all?

[celedhring]

It's easier than that. The Spanish state controls all money flows towards the regions coming from taxation. They only need to turn off the tap and the public sector in Catalonia will grind to a halt in a matter of weeks.

What will happen is that there will be constitutional reform in Spain after the general election this winter - reform which is sorely needed and not just because of us. The savage recession has revealed many cracks in Spain's building, the Catalan question is just one of them.