Spain to block Catalonia independence referendum

[Anthea]

BBC News

The Spanish government has vowed to block plans by parties in Catalonia to hold a referendum on independence on 9 November of next year.



"The poll will not be held," Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon told journalists moments after Catalonia's President, Artur Mas, announced a deal.

Mr Mas said agreement had been reached on the date and on two questions.

Voters would be asked if they wanted Catalonia to be a state and if they wanted it to be an independent state.

Mr Mas announced that an agreement had been reached in principle and had still to be approved formally by the parties internally.

Both Spain's ruling conservatives, the Popular Party of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and the Socialist opposition have long made it clear that they oppose a referendum.

Under the current Spanish constitution, referendums can only be called by the national government in Madrid, not by the governments of Spain's 17 autonomous communities, of which Catalonia is one, the BBC's Tom Burridge reports from Madrid.

Mr Mas has said that "there is time to comply with laws and democratic processes".

But for that to happen, Spain's national parliament would need to approve a change in the Spanish constitution before next November, and that looks impossible given the opposition in Madrid, our correspondent adds.

Catalonia is one of Spain's most developed regions, with a population of 7.5 million.

It already has a wide degree of autonomy but the recent economic crisis has fuelled Catalan nationalism.

In September supporters of independence formed a human chain across the region.

Mr Mas has previously said that if Madrid blocks a referendum, he will turn regional elections - due in 2016 - into a vote on independence.

Opinion polls suggest Catalans are evenly split over independence.

The EU and Nato have warned that Catalonia would be excluded if it broke away from Spain.

Nationalists in another Spanish region, the Basque Country, won regional elections there last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25353086

[Anthea]

The people of Scotland will be holding a referendum on whether or not they wish Scotland to become an independent country - they already have their own parliament and different laws to the rest of the UK

The people of Catalonia hope to hold a referendum on whether or not they wish Catalonia to become an independent country - they already have their own National Assembly and different laws to the rest of Spain

Below is some more information about Catalonia and it's people:

Catalans form human chain for independence from Spain

Supporters of Catalonia's independence from Spain have joined hands to form a 400km (250-mile) human chain across the region in support of their cause.



Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the event, which comes on Catalonia's national day.

Regional President Artur Mas has been urging Madrid to allow the region a referendum on independence in 2014.

But he has been unable to get the central government's approval for such a vote in the north-eastern region.

Catalonia - one of Spain's most developed regions - already has a wide degree of autonomy, but the economic crisis has fuelled Catalan nationalism.

Pro-independence feelings go back centuries, and the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s strengthened animosity between Madrid and Barcelona.

'Decisive phase'

Lines of protesters, many wearing the red-and-yellow Catalan flag, stretched from the French border, through the city of Barcelona and south along the coast towards the regional border with Valencia.



Carme Forcadell, president of the Catalan National Assembly which organised the human chain, called the event "historic".

"The Catalan people have reaffirmed their determination to be a free state,'' he said.

The BBC's Tom Burridge in Barcelona said the human chain was another strong show of popular support in Catalonia for the idea of a vote on independence.

Speaking to reporters before the action, Mr Mas said the drive for independence was entering a "decisive phase".

He later told the BBC that if Madrid continues to block a referendum he will turn regional elections - due in 2016 - into a vote on independence.



"My intent is to try to negotiate with the central government a legal framework in order to organise, to hold a referendum, next year in Catalonia," he said.

"This is our intention. We don't know if the Spanish government will accept this kind of deal."

However, Spain's deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, said Mr Mas was promoting political divisions.

"The worst thing a politician can do is force people to separate,'' she said.

A recent poll for Spain's Cadena Ser radio station has found that support in Catalonia for the vote has risen slightly to 81%, our correspondent reports.

He adds that 52% of those questioned said they would vote in favour independence from Spain.

However, public opinion in Spain remains strongly opposed to the idea, and according to the Spanish constitution, a referendum in Catalonia would be "unconstitutional".

Anthea: Let us wish them luck