![]() ![]() While the 2017 vote on independence was a major landmark of Catalan secessionist movement, it did not produce an independent state nor a change in the inflexible approach to the territorial question by the central government. A pro-independence government remains in place in Catalonia, but in Madrid the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy was replaced by a leftist coalition of Socialists and Podemos. More than three years later, Catalan leaders remain in jail or in exile and members of the former Catalan government and leaders of civil society have been convicted to serve several years in prison, while many civil servants and citizens are still awaiting trial. The Yes option won by 90% of the votes and the turnout was 43%. On 1 October 2017, a referendum on independence took place in Catalonia despite the opposition of Spanish central authorities and the lack of constitutional support. ![]() Picture: Beverly Yuen Thompson / (CC BY-NC 2.0) licence Jaume López and Marc Sanjaume-Calvet assess the case of Catalonia in 2017, and how the differing strategic priorities and culture of Spanish and Catalonian governments led to the referendum, repressive counter-measures and resulting stalemate. Independence referendums are comparatively rare – and even more so when conducted without the approval of the relevant central government.
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