Blow to party heading up Catalan’s bid for independence

The Catalan nationalist party CiU will win regional parliamentary elections in Spain on Nov 25, but will not gain an absolute majority, newspaper polls showed, weakening any bid for independence.

Hundreds of thousands of Catalans marched in Spain’s second city Barcelona in September demanding independence as the central government imposes swingeing spending cuts to achieve Europe-imposed deficit targets.

Four polls published in Spanish newspapers yesterday said the pro-independence CiU party of Artur Mas would win between 60 and 64 seats in the Catalan parliament, little changed from the current 62 seats it now holds and short of the 68 seats it would need for an absolute majority.