Spanish Civil War On The Way? Can The Eu Step In Here?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41493014
Let's hope this doesn't give JimmyK ideas eh!

[jim360]

I'm inclined to believe that the turnout figures and results are essentially accurate. I think a lot of people who didn't want independence won't have taken this vote seriously, when is not an unreasonable position to take, so that would naturally explain both the low turnout and the landslide result as a consequence of that.

[mikey4444]

Sqad....I think that both Madrid, and the Catalonian Government have acted stupidly in this affair, but its going to be very difficult to put the lids back on this now, isn't it ?

[Sqad]

mikey......LOL.....knowing the Spaniards, I think that it will go away.
Any further illegal constitutional threats will be dealt with in a very Spanish robust way.......

[Ellipsis]

> I think a lot of people who didn't want independence won't have taken this vote seriously

The people who didn't want independence support the Spanish government. The Spanish government declared the vote illegal in advance. So of course, the only people voting would be pro-independence. Hence the 90%+ vote for independence, and the only 45% turnout.

[youngmafbog]

Doesnt mean the 55% dont want independence though. There will be many that would not want to invoke the wroth of the Old Bill bt would still vote out if given the chance.

The problem is we just dont know. It is not going to go away though.

[Ellipsis]

There have been several polls and surveys over the years. The results are usually around 40% for independence. This vote comes in at around the same level.

[youngmafbog]

Polls and surveys eh?

As Brexit, The Donald and Macron have shown you never know until people are asked to put the X in the box.

[jim360]

Polls aren't 100% accurate, but a miss of this scale would be fairly extraordinary. Citing Trump is a little odd because polls there missed in the end by only a point, and the miss there was rather a lot more to do with a handful of states where it came down to very fine margins. Even Brexit the polls weren't too far off, the problem being again that while 49-51 and 52-48 aren't too far apart numerically, there is a world of difference between the two outcomes.

But anyway. It's clear that the referendum was massively in favour of one side but also held under the sort of circumstances that make the result just look utterly illegitimate.

[Ellipsis]

You can't take the results of an illegal election any more seriously than a poll.

[ToraToraTora]

"I've heard reports (on the BBC News yesterday) that they do want to remain part of the EU, but if they become independent then they'd have to apply for membership and meet the criteria. " - So it's the same as Scotland then, the last thing they want is "independence" - I see! PMSL!

[-Talbot-]

albaqwerty
Don't think the EU can do much.
Don't even think they condemned the violence.


EU
Proportionate forced was used.

[ichkeria]

""I've heard reports (on the BBC News yesterday) that they do want to remain part of the EU, but if they become independent then they'd have to apply for membership and meet the criteria. "

Yes that is right. In fact concern about losing membership of the EU is regarded as a key factor in motivating people to vote No. It is not that strange. Catalonia's independence aspirations (if not their way of achieving it) are very similar to Scotland's ie based largely on historic injustice or perception of injustice. Of course in the case of Catalonia, that perception was well-founded up until very recently.