Separatists Hold Key After Catalonia Poll

A fresh confrontation between Madrid and the regions seemed certain yesterday after local elections in Catalonia resulted in a rise in support for the pro-independence Catalan Republican Left (CRL).

The separatist party doubled its vote to 16% in elections held on Sunday, winning the balance of power in the region's parliament.

The leaders of the main two Catalan parties - the Socialists and the Convergence and Union coalition - yesterday began wooing CRL's leader, Josep Lluis Carod-Rovira.

Mr Carod-Rovira is expected to demand extra money from Madrid and additional powers from both rival parties, which won about 31% of the vote each.

The People's party of the prime minister, José María Aznar, is already battling to prevent the Basque region gaining greater autonomy.

The issue of regional autonomy has become so acute under Mr Aznar that it will dominate the general election next spring.

Convergence and Union, led by Artur Mas, pledged yesterday to negotiate an improved statute of autonomy with the central government if it won the backing of the CRL.

The Socialists, led by the former mayor of Barcelona, Pascual Maragall, called on Mr Carod-Rovira to end 23 years of government by Convergence and Union in a three-way pact with the Green Left party.

It was not clear what Mr Maragall would offer Mr Carod-Rovira, but any further autonomy for Catalonia risks alienating voters in other parts of Spain before the general election.

Mr Carod-Rovira said he would not align with anybody who backed the People's party, in a clear warning to Convergence and Union that it could not repeat past alliances with Mr Aznar.