The 2017 Regional Election in Catalonia: an attempt to understand the pro-independence vote

This paper tries to unveil the main factors behind the triumph of the pro-independence vote in the 2017 Regional Election in Catalonia. The empirical analysis, which is carried out at the county level and by using a spatial econometric model, reveals that geographical location matters. The estimation results also suggest that the pro-independence vote is mainly linked to the birthplace of individuals. More specifically, it shows that the...