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Catalan results don't give right to move towards independence: Spanish PM

Xinhua, September 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday said the results of Sunday's elections for the Catalan Regional Assembly (Generalitat) would not lead to any move towards Catalan independence, which he continued to insist was against the law.

The elections had been presented almost as a plebiscite with the leader of the Generalitat, Artur Mas insisting that if the pro-independence bloc won a majority, they would begin taking steps towards obtaining the independence of the region.

Sunday's vote saw 'Junts Pel Si' (Together for Yes), along with fellow pro-independence bloc, CUP, obtain a majority of 72 seats in the 135 seat assembly, however they did this with 47.75 percent of the votes, with parties who had positioned themselves against independence or who were ambiguous on the issue gaining 52.25 percent.

In a press conference on Monday, Junts Pel Si insisted the results gave them a mandate to initiate a process towards independence, something Rajoy rejected.

Speaking from his residence in the Palacio de la Moncloa, he read a brief statement in which he said the vote did not give a mandate for Catalan independence.

He insisted Sunday's elections were not a legal plebiscite, adding the pro-independence movement "didn't win the votes of four out of 10 Catalans."

"What comes now is the formation of a new regional government," which should "give up," the independence "monologue," and "govern for all Catalans," Rajoy said in a statement.

Rajoy's own People's Party received less that 8.5 percent of the votes in Sunday's election. Endit