Spain's Catalan separatists win election but punish Mas

Catalan President Artur Mas, who has implemented unpopular spending cuts in an economic crisis, had called an early election to test support for his new drive for independence for Catalonia, a wealthy region in northeastern Spain.

Voters handed almost two thirds of the 135-seat local parliament to four different Catalan separatist parties that all want to hold a referendum on secession from Spain.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9702441/Spains-Catalan-separatists-win-election-but-punish-Mas.html