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Rise in opposition to Catalan independence

Emma Anderson
Emma Anderson - [email protected]
Rise in opposition to Catalan independence
Lluis Gene/AFP

A poll released on Friday shows that the number of Catalonians opposing independence rose to nearly 50 percent.

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The poll, conducted by the Catalan Center of Opinion Studies, showed that 48 percent of those surveyed said they opposed independence while 44.1 percent were in favour. 
 
This was a drop in support since the previous survey last year, which showed that 45.3 percent opposed the wealthy northeastern region becoming a state while 44.5 said they supported it.
 
Director of the center Jordi Argelaguet said that "the rise of independence support coincides with the absolute majority of the [ruling conservative People's Party] in Congress", according to El Mundo.
 
The recent survey also showed a decrease in the number who said living standards would improve in an independent state with only 38 percent agreeing that things would be "better than now" compared to 45.1 last year.
 
In an independence referendum last November, roughly 80 percent of the 2.3 million voters backed secession. However, Spain's Constitutional Court ruled the laws that allowed the region to organize the vote were unconstitutional because only the federal government could call votes on issues of sovereignty.
 
Since the referendum, the region has stepped up efforts to strengthen itself financially and its perception internationally. Officials have also called for another vote focused on independence to take place on September 27th.

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