There was 91% support for abolition of the monarchy. | Miquel À. Cañellas

TW

A "popular consultation" held at the University of the Balearic Islands on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favour of the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic.

Around 22,000 people were invited to register a vote. These were students, tutors, professors, researchers and university staff. The total number who voted was 1,475; there was 91% support for abolishing the monarchy.

The consultation followed similar exercises at other Spanish universities, at which the result has been the same.

The university gave permission for the consultation to take place but provided no assistance other than a table for the ballot box.

Consultations asking the same question are due to take place in various municipalities in late March and early April. According to reports from a couple of weeks ago, these will be in Arta, Esporles, Pollensa, Porreres and Santa Margalida. Consultations in other municipalities are anticipated.

Jorge Campos, president of Vox in the Balearics, has responded to the consultation by saying that the university has become "the ideal place for a separatist coup". He attacked what he considered was the collaboration of the university's management in the "pseudo-consultation" and said that he will be asking the university for a space so that Vox can hold a conference on constitutionalism for the students.