Five-and-a-half million Catalans are set to vote in the Spanish region’s parliamentary elections. <br /><br /> Sunday’s ballot has been framed by separatist parties as a proxy referendum on independence which will show whether a majority of Catalans want to split from Spain or stay part of the country. <br /><br /> Expectations are high because right and left-wing nationalists are running on a joint ticket for secession.<br /><br /> Opinions on the issue in downtown Barcelona were diverse.<br /><br /> “I think this is a necessary process after what has been happening in the last years,” said Ot Guillen. “I think it can lead us to change, and a change for the better. I feel things are going in the right direction, but let’s see what happens.”<br /><br /> “I am not in favour of secession,” said Emilio Sánchez. “I don’t want to split from Spain. I’m a Catalan as I married a Catalan woman and my children and grandchildren are all Catalan. And I want us to stay united. I don’t want secession. I want this thing to be solved in the best poss
