Catalonia grows in distance from Spain
Secessionists win a two-thirds majority in the local parliament as economic hardship increases calls for a break from Madrid
Catalonia's leader Artur Mas says the powerful region's economy can stand tall in Europe without Spain. But could Spain survive without Catalonia?
The prospect of an independent Catalonia of 7.5 million people lying to the northeast of Spain seems distant, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government vowing to block any referendum.
In a snap election on Sunday, voters slashed the majority held by Mas' conservative alliance, Convergence and Union, but boosted support for left-wing pro-independence forces.
Voters handed almost two-thirds of the 135-seat local parliament to four different separatist parties that all want to hold a referendum on secession from Spain. Despite having its wings clipped, Mas' alliance promised to seek a popular consultation on self-determination.
The question of statehood overwhelmed any debate of the Catalan economy and its more than €40-billion (HK$395 billion) debt, but it also highlighted Catalonia's importance to the rest of Spain.
"We could get along quite well," Mas said on public television two days ahead of the election, defying some analysts' forecasts of an economic catastrophe if Catalonia splits from Spain.