Catalunya Nord concludes vote on department name change

A public consultation in Catalunya Nord is concluding today, allowing residents to vote on whether to change the official name of their department. Voters are choosing between three options: maintaining the current name, 'Pirineus Orientals', or replacing it with 'Pirineus Catalans' or 'Pirineus Mediterranis'.

The 'Pirineus Catalans' option is the only one that explicitly incorporates Catalan identity into the official designation. Participation has seen a recent increase, with recorded votes reaching approximately 9.5% of the 378,000 registered electors.

If a change is approved, the Departmental Council must initiate a formal request to the French government to modify the name. This process requires a decree from the Council of State signed by the Prime Minister. Results are expected to be announced on August 28.