Catalans vote in 'historic' polls over independence

Catalans voted Sept. 27 in an election dubbed crucial for the future of Spain, with polls pointing to a win by separatists who vow to declare the region independent by 2017.

The drive to break the rich northeastern region away from Spain and create a new state in Europe has prompted a fierce standoff with the Spanish government.
 
"Catalonia decides its future in Spain," ran Sunday's front-page headline in the centre-right national daily El Mundo.
 
Regional president Artur Mas has cast the vote for the regional parliament as a chance for "freedom" from rule by Madrid.
 
His separatist alliance has vowed to declare independence by 2017 if it secures a majority in the regional parliament, even without a majority of votes.
 
Spain's central government brands secession illegal and has called for the country to stay united as the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy recovers from recession.
 
Madrid says Catalonia would drop out of the European Union and eurozone if it broke away from Spain.
 
"The future of Catalonia is at stake," said Catalan daily La Vanguardia.
 
Centre-left national El Pais declared the ballots "historic".
 
Polling stations opened under cloudy skies in Barcelona, where red- and yellow-striped Catalan flags hung from buildings.
 
More than 5.5 million of Catalonia's 7.5 million inhabitants were eligible to vote at nearly 2,700 polling stations across the region.
         
With its own language and cultural traditions, Catalonia has seen numerous bids for greater autonomy over the past century and secessionist demands have surged in the recent years of economic crisis.
 
Nationalists complain they get less back from Madrid than they pay...