We’ve won the right to statehood, says Catalan leader

Carles Puigdemont, Catalan leader, says the Spanish region has won the right to statehood following a referendum that was marred by violence.

He opened the door to a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain, saying 90 percent in favour of the region breaking away.

Despite Spanish police using batons and rubber bullets to disrupt the banned referendum, which was declared unconstitutional by Madrid, the Catalan government said 2.26 million people had cast ballots in support of secession.

Carles Puigdemont’s comments followed a television address by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy who ruled out independence.

“With this day of hope and suffering, the citizens of Catalonia have won the right to an independent state in the form a republic,” he said in a broadcast.

“My government, in the next few days will send the results of today’s vote to the Catalan parliament, where the sovereignty of our people lies, so that it can act in accordance with the law of the referendum.”

Catalan officials say more than 800 people were injured in clashes with Spanish riot police during the referendum, which has pitched the country into its deepest constitutional crisis in decades and deepened a rift between Madrid and Barcelona.

The law of the referendum, deemed unconstitutional by Madrid, foresees a unilateral declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament if the majority votes to leave Spain. The law does not set a minimum turnout for the outcome to be valid.

On Sunday, the streets of Catalonia, an industrial and tourism powerhouse accounting for a fifth of Spain’s economy, erupted into violence as national police burst into polling stations with batons, dragging voters away.

The euro lost about a third of a U.S. cent after the violence-marred vote before steadying. It touched a low of $1.1776 in thin Asian trade but soon steadied at $1.1801.

In the run-up to the referendum, Puigdemont had said he would move to a declaration of independence within 48 hours of a “yes” vote. But the fragmented nature of the polling, with many voting stations closed, could complicate any move to a formal declaration.

Puigdemont called on Europe to step in to make sure fundamental rights were fully respected.

The ballot will have no legal status as it has been blocked by Spain’s Constitutional Court which ruled it at odds with the 1978 constitution that effectively restored democracy in Spain after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.