27 September election: a quick guide

Current Catalan president Artur Mas, who says the 27 September election is a referendum on the future of Catalunya

What’s happening?

On Sunday, Catalans will vote to elect the 135 members who will sit in the 11th Catalan Parliament. (The Parliament was first elected in 1980.)

However, it’s not as simple as that. The Catalan government, led by pro-independence president Artur Mas, says the election is a referendum on independence. If the various coalitions of pro-independence parties win a majority, they have pledged they will begin breaking Catalunya away from Spain – against the wishes of Spain’s People’s Party prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.

Who can vote?

Only Catalans.

Foreigners living in Spain, who are not Spanish nationals, are not entitled to vote.

According to the election official website, those who can vote are over-18s ‘with the political status of Catalan’ and Spanish citizens living abroad whose last legal residence was in Catalunya along with their descendents who are registered as Spanish citizens.

Which parties are standing?

A lot – there are 10 different choices in the Tarragona region of Catalunya.

The most high profile are as follows.

Junts pel Si (JxSI)
A pro-independence coalition, headed by outgoing president Artur Mas, which includes the Convergence Democratic de Catalunuya (formerly part of the CiU, which split in June 2015), the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), the Democrats of Catalunya (DC) and the Moviment d’Esquerres (MES). Also have high-profile support from former Barça coach and all-round Catalan hero Pep Guardiola.

Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (CUP)
Pro-independence. Socialist.

Catalunya Si que es Pot (CatSiqueesPot)
(Or Catalunya, yes we can) Coalition of leftwing ICV and EUiA parties with anti-austerity Podemos and Equo. They don’t directly support independence but are sympathetic to Catalans’ right to decide.

Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC-PSOE)
Centre-left. Anti-independence (although this isn’t entirely clear-cut).

Partido Popular (PP)
Centre-right. Anti-independence. Party of Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy.

Unio Democratica de Catalunya (unio.cat)
Formerly part of the CiU, which split in June 2015. It’s pro-independence but takes a softer line on going against the Spanish government than Mas’s CDC.

Ciutadans, Partido de la Ciudadania (C’s)
Centre-right liberals.

When are things happening?

Polling stations are open from 9am to 8pm on Sunday 27 September.

Results will begin to emerge during Sunday evening.

The Generalitat de Catalunya has released an app, Eleccions 27S, which, it says, will enable people to see the turnout and results in real time.

The Guardian will follow results with a live blog.

What do other people say?

Spanish national newspaper El Païs says it’s not a not a referendum and picks up holes in the pro-independence parties’ suggested unity.

El Pais also interviews immigrants from outside Catalunya who have gained Spanish citizenship and therefore have a right to vote – some are in favour of independence, others are not so sure.

The BBC’s Stephen Sackur gave Junts Pel Si’s Raül Romeva a tough time on Hardtalk.

There are many, many other arguments going on, including whether or not an independent Catalunya would be permitted to be a member of the EU, whether Catalans’ state pensions would be safe or not, and whether big business and the banks are in favour of independence. And earlier this week, the Spanish Catholic Church urged worshippers to pray for unity (which is really getting the separatists’ backs up).

More locally, the fact that the Madrid government has not provided an alternative route to the N340, in spite of the increasing number of fatalities on the road, is adding fuel to Perelló’s secessionist fire.