MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Support for the independence of the Catalan region in northeast Spain has fallen sharply, according to an opinion poll carried out by the Opinion Studies Center (CEO) of the Catalan regional authority.
Friday's "El Pais" newspaper reported that support for Catalan independence now stands at 41.1 percent, 3 percent down by the 44.3 percent who were in favor of separating from Spain in March.
Meanwhile, the poll showed that 49.4 percent of people were against a split, up from 48.5 percent four months ago.
The findings come as the Catalan authority is in conflict with the Spanish central government over the celebration of an independence vote, which is scheduled to be held on Oct. 1.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has promised that what the central government considers to be an illegal vote will not take place and continues to insist his government would use the Spanish Constitutional Court to block its celebration.
Thursday saw Rajoy make a plea for unity while opening a hotel in the Catalan city of Lleida.
"The roads towards rupture will not lead anywhere," said Rajoy, asking for Catalans to follow the "route of empathy and common sense."
