Catalan separatists win election in rebuke to Spain and EUBARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalonia s separatists look set to regain power in the wealthy Spanish region after local elections on Thursday, deepening the nation s political crisis in a sharp rebuke to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and European Union leaders who backed him. With nearly all votes counted, separatist parties won a slim majority in Catalan parliament, a result that promises to prolong political tensions which have damaged Spain s economy and prompted a business exodus from the region. Rajoy, who called the elections after sacking the previous secessionist government, had hoped Catalonia s  silent majority  would deal separatism a decisive blow in what was a de facto independence referendum, but his hard line backfired. The unexpected result sets the stage for the return to power of deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont who campaigned from self-exile in Brussels. State prosecutors accuse him of sedition, and he faces arrest if he were to return home.  Either Rajoy changes his recipe or we change the country,  Puigdemont, said in a televised speech. He was flanked by four former cabinet members that fled with him. At jubilant pro-independence rallies around Barcelona, supporters chanted  President Puigdemont  and unfurled giant red-and-yellow Catalan flags as the results came in. Puigdemont s spokesman told Reuters in a text message:  We are the comeback kids.  The result unnerved global markets, contributing to a softer euro and subdued sentiment in stock markets. Opinion polls had predicted secessionists to fall short of a majority. More than 3,100 firms have moved their legal headquarters outside Catalonia, concerned that the indebted region, which accounts for a fifth of the national economy, could split from Spain and tumble out of the EU and the euro zone by default. Spain has trimmed its growth forecasts for next year, and official data shows foreign direct investment in Catalonia fell 75 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, dragging down national investment. The EU s major powers, Germany and France, have backed Rajoy s stance despite some criticism of his methods at times. On Oct. 1, when Catalonia staged an independence referendum, Spain declared it unconstitutional and national police used tear gas and batons to prevent some Catalans from voting. When Catalan parliament declared independence after the referendum, Rajoy invoked constitutional powers to impose direct rule from Madrid on the region. He has said he would rescind direct rule regardless of the election result, but could re-impose it if a new government again pursued secession. There was no immediate comment from Rajoy after the election results. The narrow victory for Puigdemont s secessionist camp presents a fresh headache for the EU, which had defended the Spanish judiciary s pursuit of separatist leaders on grounds that they had violated Spain s constitution. Puigdemont s attempts to gain international support in Brussels have come to nothing so far. He has called the EU a  club of decadent countries  for declining to mediate a solution. Separatist parties won 70 seats out of 135, with Puigdemont s Junts Per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) party retaining its position as the largest separatist force. Unionist party Ciudadanos (Citizens) won the most votes, but other unionist forces   Rajoy s People s Party and the Socialist Party   registered a dismal performance.  It s a bitter victory,  said Paloma Morales, a 27-year-old student at a Ciudadanos rally.  It means four more years of misery.  Analysts said the ball was back in Rajoy s court.  What this shows is that the problem for Madrid remains and the secession movement is not going to go away,  said Antonio Barroso, deputy director of research at London-based research firm Teneo Intelligence. Turnout on Thursday reached a record high with over 83 percent of eligible Catalans voting. Puigdemont s former deputy, Oriol Junqueras, and several other Catalan politicians are in prison, along with the leaders of the two main separatist grassroots movements. worldnews
catalan separatists win election rebuke spain barcelona reuters catalunya separatists look set regain power wealthy spanish region local elections thursday deepening nation political crisis sharp rebuke prime minister marino major european union leaders backed with nearly votes counted separatist parties slim majority catalan parliament result promises prolong political tensions damaged spain economy prompted business exodus region major called elections sacking previous secessionist government hoped catalunya silent majority would deal separatism decisive blow de facto independence referendum hard line backfired the unexpected result sets stage return power deposed catalan president charles puigdemont campaigned brussels state prosecutors accuse sedition faces arrest return home either major changes recipe change country puigdemont said televised speech he flanked four former cabinet members fled at jubilant rallies around barcelona supporters chanted president puigdemont unfurled giant catalan flags results came puigdemont spokesman told reuters text message we comeback kids the result unneeded global markets contributing softer euro subdued sentiment stock markets opinion polls predicted secessionist fall short majority more firms moved legal headquarters outside catalunya concerned indebted region accounts fifth national economy could split spain tumble eu euro zone default spain trimmed growth forecasts next year official data shows foreign direct investment catalunya fell percent third quarter year earlier dragging national investment the eu major powers germany france backed major stance despite criticism methods times on catalunya staged independence referendum spain declared unconstitutional national police used tear gas baton prevent catalan voting when catalan parliament declared independence referendum major invoked constitutional powers impose direct rule madrid region he said would rescind direct rule regardless election result could new government pursued secession there immediate comment major election results the narrow victory puigdemont secessionist camp presents fresh headache eu defended spanish judiciary pursuit separatist leaders grounds violated spain constitution puigdemont attempts gain international support brussels come nothing far he called eu club decade countries declining mediate solution separatist parties seats puigdemont junta per catalunya together catalunya party retaining position largest separatist force unionist party ciudadanos citizens votes unionist forces major people party socialist party registered dismal performance it bitter victory said alma morales student ciudadanos rally it means four years misery analysts said ball back major court what shows problem madrid remains secession movement going go away said antonio barrio deputy director research research firm tenet intelligence turnout thursday reached record high percent eligible catalan voting puigdemont former deputy oriole junqueras several catalan politicians prison along leaders two main separatist grassroots movements worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Catalan separatists win election in rebuke to Spain and EUBARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalonia s separatists look set to regain power in the wealthy Spanish region after local elections on Thursday, deepening the nation s political crisis in a sharp rebuke to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and European Union leaders who backed him. With nearly all votes counted, separatist parties won a slim majority in Catalan parliament, a result that promises to prolong political tensions which have damaged Spain s economy and prompted a business exodus from the region. Rajoy, who called the elections after sacking the previous secessionist government, had hoped Catalonia s  silent majority  would deal separatism a decisive blow in what was a de facto independence referendum, but his hard line backfired. The unexpected result sets the stage for the return to power of deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont who campaigned from self-exile in Brussels. State prosecutors accuse him of sedition, and he faces arrest if he were to return home.  Either Rajoy changes his recipe or we change the country,  Puigdemont, said in a televised speech. He was flanked by four former cabinet members that fled with him. At jubilant pro-independence rallies around Barcelona, supporters chanted  President Puigdemont  and unfurled giant red-and-yellow Catalan flags as the results came in. Puigdemont s spokesman told Reuters in a text message:  We are the comeback kids.  The result unnerved global markets, contributing to a softer euro and subdued sentiment in stock markets. Opinion polls had predicted secessionists to fall short of a majority. More than 3,100 firms have moved their legal headquarters outside Catalonia, concerned that the indebted region, which accounts for a fifth of the national economy, could split from Spain and tumble out of the EU and the euro zone by default. Spain has trimmed its growth forecasts for next year, and official data shows foreign direct investment in Catalonia fell 75 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, dragging down national investment. The EU s major powers, Germany and France, have backed Rajoy s stance despite some criticism of his methods at times. On Oct. 1, when Catalonia staged an independence referendum, Spain declared it unconstitutional and national police used tear gas and batons to prevent some Catalans from voting. When Catalan parliament declared independence after the referendum, Rajoy invoked constitutional powers to impose direct rule from Madrid on the region. He has said he would rescind direct rule regardless of the election result, but could re-impose it if a new government again pursued secession. There was no immediate comment from Rajoy after the election results. The narrow victory for Puigdemont s secessionist camp presents a fresh headache for the EU, which had defended the Spanish judiciary s pursuit of separatist leaders on grounds that they had violated Spain s constitution. Puigdemont s attempts to gain international support in Brussels have come to nothing so far. He has called the EU a  club of decadent countries  for declining to mediate a solution. Separatist parties won 70 seats out of 135, with Puigdemont s Junts Per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) party retaining its position as the largest separatist force. Unionist party Ciudadanos (Citizens) won the most votes, but other unionist forces   Rajoy s People s Party and the Socialist Party   registered a dismal performance.  It s a bitter victory,  said Paloma Morales, a 27-year-old student at a Ciudadanos rally.  It means four more years of misery.  Analysts said the ball was back in Rajoy s court.  What this shows is that the problem for Madrid remains and the secession movement is not going to go away,  said Antonio Barroso, deputy director of research at London-based research firm Teneo Intelligence. Turnout on Thursday reached a record high with over 83 percent of eligible Catalans voting. Puigdemont s former deputy, Oriol Junqueras, and several other Catalan politicians are in prison, along with the leaders of the two main separatist grassroots movements. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: catalan separatists win election rebuke spain barcelona reuters catalunya separatists look set regain power wealthy spanish region local elections thursday deepening nation political crisis sharp rebuke prime minister marino major european union leaders backed with nearly votes counted separatist parties slim majority catalan parliament result promises prolong political tensions damaged spain economy prompted business exodus region major called elections sacking previous secessionist government hoped catalunya silent majority would deal separatism decisive blow de facto independence referendum hard line backfired the unexpected result sets stage return power deposed catalan president charles puigdemont campaigned brussels state prosecutors accuse sedition faces arrest return home either major changes recipe change country puigdemont said televised speech he flanked four former cabinet members fled at jubilant rallies around barcelona supporters chanted president puigdemont unfurled giant catalan flags results came puigdemont spokesman told reuters text message we comeback kids the result unneeded global markets contributing softer euro subdued sentiment stock markets opinion polls predicted secessionist fall short majority more firms moved legal headquarters outside catalunya concerned indebted region accounts fifth national economy could split spain tumble eu euro zone default spain trimmed growth forecasts next year official data shows foreign direct investment catalunya fell percent third quarter year earlier dragging national investment the eu major powers germany france backed major stance despite criticism methods times on catalunya staged independence referendum spain declared unconstitutional national police used tear gas baton prevent catalan voting when catalan parliament declared independence referendum major invoked constitutional powers impose direct rule madrid region he said would rescind direct rule regardless election result could new government pursued secession there immediate comment major election results the narrow victory puigdemont secessionist camp presents fresh headache eu defended spanish judiciary pursuit separatist leaders grounds violated spain constitution puigdemont attempts gain international support brussels come nothing far he called eu club decade countries declining mediate solution separatist parties seats puigdemont junta per catalunya together catalunya party retaining position largest separatist force unionist party ciudadanos citizens votes unionist forces major people party socialist party registered dismal performance it bitter victory said alma morales student ciudadanos rally it means four years misery analysts said ball back major court what shows problem madrid remains secession movement going go away said antonio barrio deputy director research research firm tenet intelligence turnout thursday reached record high percent eligible catalan voting puigdemont former deputy oriole junqueras several catalan politicians prison along leaders two main separatist grassroots movements worldnews