Support for Catalan independence declines

Opinion in favour of an independent Catalonia is declining in that region, according to a poll carried out in October and published this week by Barcelona Autonomous University. Some 53% of Catalans now prefer to remain part of Spain and 39% wish to form a separate state.

The pandemic and the actions of regional politicians seem to have taken their toll on enthusiasm for the independence movement. In terms of whether the local population feels that independence will be achieved, only 8% think it will be possible in reality, down from 16% in 2017.

Among voters of the ERC republican separatist party of regional president Pere Aragonès, only 9% think independence will be achieved anytime soon, reflecting Aragonès' policy of aiming for a more pragmatic separation over the long term.