Catalan gov't: 90pct of voters said 'Yes' to independence from Spain

The overwhelming majority of Catalans who participated in the banned referendum have voted in favor of independence from Spain, the Catalan government has announced.

Over two million Catalans, or 90.09 percent of those who voted said 'Yes' in Sunday's referendum, regional authorities said. Only 7,87 percent, or 176,565 voters said 'No' when asked if they want to attain independence from Madrid.

The Catalan government said the result reflects only the ballots that "were not seized" during police raids on polling stations throughout the day.

"What kind of a democracy steals ballot boxes?" asked Vice President Oriol Junqueras, standing next to government representatives, Raul Romeva and Jordi Turull.

"We will be consistent with the democratic mandate that citizens have given us today," he added. "Catalonia has won its right to be...