Spain’s Catalonia holds key elections amid coronavirus fears

Polls have opened in Catalonia for an election overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic and which Madrid hopes will unseat the region’s governing separatists more than three years after a failed bid to break away from Spain.

Whether the election is won by the separatist parties now in power in the region or another party such as the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party who lead Spain’s central government, it is unlikely to lead to any repeat of the chaotic, short-lived declaration of independence in late 2017.

Recent opinion polls have suggested the Socialists – who oppose independence but favour dialogue – are slightly ahead, although they would need support from other parties to form the first anti-independence regional government in nine years.

“It is time to reconcile, build bridges, dialogue and seek agreements within Catalonia,” Socialist candidate Salvador Illa, Spain’s health minister until two weeks ago said.

He has ruled out governing with the support of far-right Vox, which could win seats in Catalonia for the first time.

If separatists manage to retain control, a new independence declaration appears very unlikely, as the movement is divided between moderate and confrontational approaches and its top leaders are jailed or fled Spain after the 2017 events.

Polling stations opened at 9am local time (08:00 GMT) and will close at 8pm local time (19:00 GMT), with results expected at about midnight.

Aljazeera