Catalans Undecided on Support for Independence Bid - Poll

A new study by Metroscopia pollster for El Pais newspaper showed on Sunday that the pro-independence parties would not be able to form the absolute majority at the upcoming snap parliamentary election in the Spanish autonomous community, scheduled for December 21.

MADRID (Sputnik) –  The survey emphasizes that both pro and anti-independence Catalan political parties will likely receive 46 percent at the upcoming election.

The pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia is expected to become the leader of the vote, receiving 26.5 percent of public support, and thus gaining 39 out of 135 seats in the parliament, the poll showed.

The centrist pro-union Citizens party will come the second with 25.3 percent of the ballots or 35 seats in the legislature. Another anti-independence Socialists' Party of Catalonia is projected to be the third in the election, receiving 14.9 percent of the votes and 19 mandates.

Together for Catalonia, the new platform of the sacked head of the Catalan government Carles Puigdemont, is expected to receive 13.6 percent of the votes or 21 parliamentary mandates, while Popular Unity Candidacy party is set to gain 5.9 percent of the votes or 7 mandates.

Thus, collectively with the Republican Left of Catalonia, the pro-separatist parties will receive only 67 mandates in the legislature or 46 percent of public support, the poll results have shown. In the previous parliament, which has been dissolved by the Spanish government after Catalonia independence declaration, the pro-independence parties had 72 mandates or 47.7 percent of the public support.

As for the parties, opposing independence and the referendum, the bloc Catalunya en Comu may receive 6.7 percent of the votes, which will make 46 percent of public support together with the Socialists' Party of Catalonia and the Citizens party. Catalunya en Comu is part of the Spanish Podemos party, which is against independence, but in favor of referendum, coordinated with the Spanish central authorities.

The survey was conducted on November 20-22 among 1,800 Catalan residents.