The real Bravehearts! 2.25 million Catalonians vote. 81% want independence from Spain

Over the weekend , the Catalan citizens exercised their right to self-determination, much to the dismay of Spain an the EU. The turnout was impressive, as the vote resulted in an overwhelming majority of Catalans wishing to break away from Spain.

Democracy in action…just not the type of democracy that Europe approves of. The EU defines democracy and self-determination as such:

• Kosovo vote for autonomy = good
• Iraq elections = good
• Ukraine elections = good
• Scotland referendum = bad
• East Ukraine elections = bad
• Crimea vote for autonomy = bad
• Syria elections = bad
• Catalonia referendum = bad

RT reports on the Catalonia results:

Voters were given two questions to answer, “Do you want Catalonia to be a state?” was the first and in the case of a positive response, voters were asked: “Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state?”

“Yes-no” response obtained 10.11 percent; “no-no” 4.55 percent; and blank votes accounted for 0.56 percent, with 88.44 percent of the votes counted.

President of Catalonia, Artur Mas, called the symbolic vote on independence “a complete success”with “clearly more than two million people” participating despite the veto imposed by Madrid.

“Let no one forget, especially the Spanish government, that Catalonia has once again shown that it wants to govern itself,” he said at a hearing in Barcelona after the vote. It is “a giant step in our legitimate aspiration to peacefully and freely decide our future.”

Zerohedge summaries the historic day and the troubles ahead for Spain…

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has a problem. Despite his best legal and propaganda defenses (and harsh weather conditions) today’s symbolic vote for Catalonia independence proceeded…and the initial results (with 88% of the vote counted) are in:

*TURNOUT IN CATALAN BALLOT WAS ABT 2.25 MLN, GOVT SAYS
*81% BACK INDEPENDENCE IN CATALAN BALLOT

The Spanish government is saying the “data is not valid” and is investigating the illegal ballot calling it a “useless sham.” Catalan President Mas says pro-independence parties will meet this week to put pressure on Madrid.

Catalan President Mas speaks…

*MAS SAYS PARTICIPATION IN CATALAN VOTE WAS VERY HIGH
*MAS SAYS CATALAN HAS SAID IT WANTS SELF-GOVERNANCE
*MAS SAYS REACTIONS IN MADRID HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL
*MAS SAYS HE REGRETS RAJOY’S SHORT-SIGHTED REACTION TO VOTE
*MAS SAYS CATALANS VOTED IN HARSH CONDITIONS
*MAS SAYS CATALONIA HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE ITS POLITICAL FUTURE
*MAS ASKS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PRESSURE SPAIN ON VOTE
*MAS SAYS PRO-INDEPENDENCE PARTIES DUE TO MEET THIS WEEK

Rajoy responds…

*SPANISH PROSECUTORS INVESTIGATING CATALAN POLL AFTER COMPLAINTS
Prosecutors probing possible criminal wrongdoing in conduct of ballot, according to e-mailed statement.
*RAJOY’S SPOKESMAN SAYS CATALAN TURNOUT DATA NOT VALID
*RAJOY’S SPOKESMAN SAYS MAS’S ATTITUDE NOT HELPFUL FOR TALKS

Spanish Minister of Justice Rafael Catala said on Sunday that the ballot held in the northeastern region of Catalonia on its independence was a “useless sham.”

The Spanish government said that the ballot was antidemocratic, useless and has no legal effects.

The new normal in a completely dysfunctional Europe…a peaceful vote by the people exercising their right to self determination is deemed undemocratic.

References:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-09/catalanstrophe-81-225-million-voters-choose-independence-government-responds-useless

http://rt.com/news/203799-catalonia-independence-vote-spain/