80% of Catalans say 'Yes' to independence in symbolic 'referendum'

Majority of Catalans have supported the region's call for independence from Spain.

There have been two questions in the ballot: "Would you like Catalonia to become a state?" and "If yes, would you like Catalonia to become an independent state?”

With 88.44% of the ballots counted, 80.72% of voters answered yes to both questions in the ballot, and 10.11% answered yes only to the first question.

As few as 4% of the voters said no to both questions.

More than 2.25 million out of 5.4 million eligible voters in the wealthy breakaway region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain voted on Sunday in the unofficial independence poll.

Spanish government sees the voting as illegal and tried to block it by filing complaints with the Constitutional Court.

RIA NOVOSTI