Majority of Catalans don’t want independence and only 38% in favor, survey finds

A recent survey has shown that a slight majority of Catalans – 53.3% – are against Catalonia becoming an independent state, while only 38.8% are in favor of splitting from Spain. 

This is according to the findings from a survey conducted by Catalonia’s Center for Opinion Studies (CEO) between November 17 and December 17, 2021 among 1,200 people. 

Junts voters are the group most in favor of independence, with 93.2% of responders for setting up a Catalan republic. Other pro-independence parties follow, with CUP (85.7%) and ERC (82.1%). 

On the other hand, a large majority of citizens surveyed, 72.6%, believe that Catalans have the right to decide their future with a referendum on the independence question. 

In 2018, the same polling organization found that more people were in favor of independence (46.7%) than were against (44.9%).

Catalan president Aragonés, of pro-independence ERC, suggested that "probably the continued repression" of Sain is what explains the declining figures in favor of a split from Spain, together with the fact that the "goals set" in October 2017 had not been achieved.

However, the head of government highlighted the "broad majority" that believes a referendum "is the way" forward.

This opinion is shared by 58.8% of Socialist Party voters; 46.1% of Ciudadanos voters; 40.9% of People’s Party voters; and 23.8% of those of Vox. 

On the other hand, 48.9% of people consider that Catalonia has an insufficient level of autonomy, while only 34.8% believe that it has sufficient levels. A further 7.8% think that the territory has too much autonomy.

Among the other points surveyed, 86% of people think that the Spanish government should invest more infrastructure in Catalonia. 

Economy

The survey also asked respondents about a variety of other topics, including security, labor, and the economy. 

45.8% of people think that the 2022 Catalan budget will help reactivate the economy and society after the pandemic, while only 21.6% didn’t agree. 

Around 42% of interviewees believe that Catalonia should issue debts to international markets so as not to rely on Spanish mechanisms. Some 25% oppose this. 

Only 36% of people think that taxes should be lowered, even though it would mean a reduction of public services available. However, some 50% are against lowering taxes. 

A vast majority –92.3%– think the Spanish government should provide more financial resources to the autonomous regions for basic services such as education and health.