The polarization around the independence movement in Catalonia has generated a historic participation

The electoral uncertainty and indecision that reigned in Spain in recent days have not reflected in Sunday's polls. Participation in Sunday's general election is the highest since 1993 and Catalonia, one of the key regions of these elections, marked by the secessionist conflict, 17 percentage points higher than in previous general elections. But it was not a coincidence.

The entire campaign has been set around the independence of Catalonia. Neither the weak growth of the economy, nor the high unemployment rate (14.7%, according to the latest data) or international policies were the main items on the agenda between the two countries. candidates from different parties, nor the media. Everyone wanted to know what everyone would do with Catalonia if they were elected to govern.

The Catalans themselves know this and badume that these elections are very important for the future of their region. As much as any candidate was inclined to a possible referendumthere are more negative scenarios than others.

If the rights were imposed, called by many Catalans as "The triad of evil", conformed by the Popular Party, Citizens and Voxthe possibility of fighting for its autonomy would have been null and, worse still, it would have had more consequences.

So much Albert Riveraas Pablo Casado and Santiago Abascal announced that if they were elected heads of government, they would again apply Article 155 of the Constitution, which empowers the state to withdraw powers from a community that does not respect the law. and completely cancel the autonomy of Catalonia.

Abascal, leader of the right-wing party Vox, promised during the campaign that, if elected president, would strengthen the intervention of the Generalitat, the arrest of the current President Quim Torra, surrender of the former President Carles Puigdemont to the Spanish justice, the closure of TV3 (Catalan TV channel ) and the promotion of the dissolution of the Mossos of Esquadra local police) and the integration of the faithful in the national police.

Nobody wants to relive what happened in October 2017, when the Catalan government tried to hold an independentist popular consultation and that all ended with a violent struggle between the national security forces and the protesters , who were trying to open schools to broadcast their programs. vote On this occasion, many Mossos of Esquadra acted pbadively in the matter of expulsion, which provoked considerable controversy at the national level.

From the sidewalk opposite, neither the PSOE nor Podemos could be in favor of the departure of Catalonia from Spainalthough the independents see their victory with better eyes. Given the insistent questions of Casado and Rivera on this subject in the televised debates, Pedro Sánchez reaffirmed that "never" will be the independence of Catalonia or the "violation" of the Spanish Constitution.

The "favorite" by the separatists is Pablo Iglesiaswhich, despite the fact that Podemos defends the unity of Spain, has affirmed being open to dialogue to seek an alternative solution to the conflict. "We will always defend that Catalonia continues to be in Spain, perhaps with a different constitutional organization.The most democratic solution is a referendum, but we also know that it must bring together the consensus of many political actors, "he told local media.

The Catalans, supporters of independence, know that no candidate for the leadership of Spain will bet on a separatist dialogue, but that is why they do not give any importance to these elections. His large participation in the polls is due to the quest to get the maximum number of seats so that they have more votes in the Congress of Deputies to help decide on some policies favorable to the struggle for autonomy.

After scrutinizing 80% of the months, the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) He confirmed his favoritism and would get 15 seats, with nearly 25% of the votes. If nothing strange happens, the party at the head Oriol Junqueras It will be the first force of independence to win the victory of certain generals of the democratic period.

The other winner of the day was the Party of Socialists of Catalonia (PSC) which added 100,000 votes more than in 2016 and would get 12 seats with more than 23% of the vote. The large selection of the list headed by Meritxell Batet had a direct impact on the result obtained by "In Comú Podem", which was far from his victory in the last elections would lose 5 seats and only 7, as well as Juntos por Cataluña.

In the struggle for the right electorate, Citizens beat the People's Party, which has felt the electoral backlash suffered by the party at a general level and retains the five seats obtained three years ago. For its part, the popular has lost five seats and will have only one representative, which will be the Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo (Argentina).

Despite a single seat, Vox reaches the goal of exceeding 100,000 votes and its ranking leader in Catalonia, Ignacio Garrigaa siege would be taken by the demarcation of Barcelona.

Incidents in two schools

Today in the afternoon, there were two moments of tension in Catalonia, when various citizens expressed themselves in favor of independence with demonstrations. against the candidates who have positioned themselves against the separation of the region of the country.

The Spanish-Argentine Marquise and candidate of the Popular Party in Barcelona, ​​Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo, was intercepted while she arrived at the electoral college of Montcada i Reixac, where some citizens reprimanded her. "You feel welcome, but you are not" and "Out of Fascism", they said some of the words of those who were waiting for it at this time of elections.

Later, the one who suffered the rejection of the citizens of the separatists was Inés Arrimadas, responsible for the list of Citizens Party in Barcelona. Casado's battle horse for these elections voted in the district of Les Corts and When he wanted to greet the three women who composed the polling station, one of them refused to greet him.

"It's Catalonia, Catalonia is divided, I know very well that they do not even give you a hand, but it's an example of what we have to suffer in Catalonia" , he told the media when he left the school Ausias March of Ciudad Comte