Catalans vote in election to gauge force of separatist movement, degree of reconciliation with Spain

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Catalonia is holding a regional election whose outcome will reverberate in Spain’s national politics. The ballot on Sunday will be a test both for the strength of the separatist movement in the wealthy northeastern part of Spain and for the policies of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Polling and last year’s national election show that support for secession has shrunk somewhat since a failed breakaway bid by regional lawmakers in 2017. Sánchez has spent precious political capital to pardon jailed separatists and push through a pending amnesty for hundreds more separatist in legal trouble. He is hoping this will translate into his Socialists taking power in Barcelona.