The Yes vote to independence for Catalonia has won a landslide victory in 167 Catalan municipalities that held an informal referendum last weekend. About 192,000 people have exercised their right to vote, which amounts to nearly 30% of the register, and 95% did so in favour of break away from Spain. The consultation was not binding since it was organized by local commissions in each municipality with the support of 15,000 volunteers.

Pro-independence supporters won easily as expected, but turnout was variable. The highest participation was witnessed in Osona -41.7%-, la Garrotxa -38,7%- and Pla de l'Estany -35%- counties, where most of their municipalities held consultations. As regards the largest towns, Sant Cugat del Vallès registered a turnout of 25.7 %, Vilanova i la Geltrú, 15.7%, Vic 42.5% and Vilafranca del Penedès, 22.1%.

Attention abroad
The holding of the consultation on the independence of Catalonia has not only drawn the attention of Catalan and Spanish media but also media from abroad. The French newspaper Le Monde published last Saturday an editorial entitled "Le mal catalan" devoted to the consultation. BBC, Europe 1, Reuters and Al-Jazeera were among the media attending the polling day. Links on international media can be found at Vilaweb, Directe.cat and the National Coordinating Committee for the Consultation on Independence.

Another significant aspect related to the international dimension of the event was the attendance of dozens of international observers from other non-recognised nations. Former president of the Galician Nationalist Bloc Xosé Manuel Beiras; delegate of the Scottish National Party Christopher White; vice-president of the Parti Quebecoise Daniel Turp, president of Lively Aosta Valley-Valdotanian Renewal Robert Louvin and deputy of the Republican Party of the Faeroe Islands Bjort Samuelsen, among many others, visited several Catalan towns and villages in order to monitor the process. Jill Evans, François Alfonsi and Frieda Brepoels, members of the European Parliament representing Wales, Corsica and Flanders also attended the consultations.

According to El Punt newspaper the international observers stressed in a press conference on Monday the sign of "democratic maturity" and the "democratic guarantees" shown by Catalan civil society. A final report with the conclusions of the international observers will be issued in 2 weeks, and it will also include aspects which need improvement -there are two more consultations ahead on February 28 and April 25.

Further information:

• Results of the referendum in Osona
• All the results, at the Coordinating Committee website and at Decidim.cat's.