Artur Mas faces resistance from the left in Catalonia in his bid for regional presidency

IN the first round of voting to elect a President for Catalonia on Tuesday, the leftist CUP party did not support Artur Mas and instead indicated their preference for an independent candidate for the top position.

Although CUP was part of the alliance, Junts pel Si, with which Mas won 62 seats in the September election, the party backed away from Mas on Tuesday in a move commentators say is linked to the recent political corruption investigation into Mas’s CDC Party.

The CUP Party and Mas share the goal of secession from Spain however reports have indicated that Raul Romeva, an independent, is now CUP’s ideal candidate. Romeva ruled himself out of contention on Twitter however, saying

“I am not a candidate. My role is to work towards an agreement.” 

The official process to gain independence for Spain began in Catalonia on Monday after a parliamentary vote that aims to achieve secession from Spain in the next 18 months.

Prime Minister Rajoy challenged the resolution and said is going to the Constitutional Court as the independence debate continues.