Sunday, September 13, 2009

To clarify...and more info

I was wrong about one aspect of yesterday's events in Arenys, and it does change the tone of the entire event.

The Catalans got the permission for the referendum first, and then the falanges chose to come and march.

Less menacing it seems to me.

It went off very peacefully....music, festa festa festa.

41% voter turnout. 6% more than for the European Parliamentary elections.

96% voted for independence.

Very peaceful.

Only 50 falanges showed up (400 mossos showed up though).

Nice.

3 comments:

Beth said...

The 96% vote for independence doesn’t surprise me – considering the history and the current situation.
Good to hear the “fiesta” prevailed – and not violent confrontation.

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

I'm glad it was a peaceful day after all. So what does that mean as far as independance? How does the political system work there - will the vote be recognized?

oreneta said...

Love the Catalans, gotta love a people that want a festa...

Bodhi, it isn't legally binding in any way, though about 6000 other Catalan communities want to hold one as well. Unlike in Canada, it is illegal in Spains constitution for the Catalans to separate. It is my understanding that should the gov't of Catalonia decide to separate, the federal gov't has the right to send in the military and take over all gov't work, setting their own people in place.

Charming!