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The average turnout across all EU nations for the 2014 European Parliament elections was 43% and no-one is questioning the legitimacy of those results.

ZanyProgrammer 9y ago
Though secession surely would require a higher hurdle than normal parliamentary elections, for such momentous an election? These aren't normal elections,but the breakup of a major European state.
- gonvaled 9y ago
  Perfectly right. But I fear that the opposition of the spanish government to a well organized referendum leaves us with this second rate opinion poll as the best we can get: 90% for yes, with 40% turnout. Pretty bad managed by Spain.
peteretep 9y ago
Voting in an election or referendum gives explicit support to the right of that referendum or election to exist, so I don't think your analogy holds. I think the result should absolutely cause a second, officially sanctioned referendum, for what it's worth.
notahacker 9y ago
Those elections weren't ruled unconstitutional with the national government instructing people not to participate. Obviously people choosing to participate were going to be disproportionately those choosing to reject the authority of the national government - i.e. the separatists - even if there hadn't been heavy-handed policing. A more relevant comparison would be the Scottish independence referendum which managed 85% turnout. The last unsanctioned Catalan referendum got 80% voting for independence, and that was when opinion polls gave No a huge lead (they seem to be suggesting if a proper vote had been held this time round, Yes to independence could have won, but only narrowly)
- JCzynski 9y ago
  The population of Catalonia has risen 0.1% since that vote (in 2014), and the raw number of Yes votes has risen 5%. If all the Yes voters vote for secessionist parties in the next regional election they will have a majority.

ZanyProgrammer 9y ago

Though secession surely would require a higher hurdle than normal parliamentary elections, for such momentous an election? These aren't normal elections,but the breakup of a major European state.

gonvaled 9y ago
Perfectly right. But I fear that the opposition of the spanish government to a well organized referendum leaves us with this second rate opinion poll as the best we can get: 90% for yes, with 40% turnout. Pretty bad managed by Spain.

peteretep 9y ago

Voting in an election or referendum gives explicit support to the right of that referendum or election to exist, so I don't think your analogy holds. I think the result should absolutely cause a second, officially sanctioned referendum, for what it's worth.

notahacker 9y ago

Those elections weren't ruled unconstitutional with the national government instructing people not to participate. Obviously people choosing to participate were going to be disproportionately those choosing to reject the authority of the national government - i.e. the separatists - even if there hadn't been heavy-handed policing. A more relevant comparison would be the Scottish independence referendum which managed 85% turnout. The last unsanctioned Catalan referendum got 80% voting for independence, and that was when opinion polls gave No a huge lead (they seem to be suggesting if a proper vote had been held this time round, Yes to independence could have won, but only narrowly)

JCzynski 9y ago
The population of Catalonia has risen 0.1% since that vote (in 2014), and the raw number of Yes votes has risen 5%. If all the Yes voters vote for secessionist parties in the next regional election they will have a majority.