In the traditional yes-no question on the independence of Catalonia, the opponents of Catalonia being its own country (51%) again outnumber those who say 'yes' to the idea (42%). This is what the first annual barometer of Catalonia's CEO public research centre finds, a figure that is identical to that of the two previous studies. However, 57% of Catalans consider that Catalonia has an insufficient level of autonomy and three out of four (76%) remain in favour of a referendum on self-determination for Catalonia. In fact, 57% of Catalans who are against independence defend Catalonia's right to decide its future.
Support for independence is, as ever, most intense in the CUP (89%), Together for Catalonia (Junts, 89%) and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC, 83%) - in fact, the only three parties where supporters of independence outnumber opponents. The survey also highlights that among the voters of left-wing En Comú Podem - officially, non-aligned on independence - 35% of supporters favour Catalonia having its own state, while 19% of voters favouring the Catalan Socialists (PSC) would also say 'yes' in a hypothetical referendum on the independence of Catalonia. On the formula that Catalans should use to create a new country, only 9% support unilateral independence - 42% of CUP voters, 28% of Junts supporters and 12% of Republicans - while 33% support independence by mutual agreement - including 72% of ERC voters, 64% of those supporting Junts and 51% of CUP voters.
62% of Catalans are in favour of the amnesty law
The CEO survey, based on 2,000 interviews conducted between February 9th and March 7th, was, for the most part, carried out amidst a climate of disagreement over the amnesty bill. The understanding between the Spanish Socialists (PSOE), Junts and ERC was not reached until the night of March 6th and the text for the proposed law received the green light in Congress on March 14th. Despite this, 62% of Catalans are in favour of an amnesty law that will wipe the slate clean and bring to an end prosecutions for actions linked to the independence process. On the other hand, 29% of Catalans reject it and 9% do not know or did not answer.
Positioning in favour of (green) or against (red) the amnesty by party, among voters in Catalonia.
By political party, voters of the CUP (96%), Junts (94%), Esquerra (93%), the Comuns (88%) and the PSC (60%) support the legislation. It is also surprising that, despite their party's position, two out of every ten People's Party (PP) voters in Catalonia are supporters of the amnesty. Regarding the percentage of rejection, three out of ten PSC voters are against it, a percentage that rises to 74% in the case of the PP and 84% in the case of Vox.