Catalan lawmakers are voting on a bill that will allow regional authorities to officially call an Oct. 1 referendum on a split from Spain, making concrete a years-long defiance of central authorities, who see the vote as illegal. The so-called “referendum bill” was included at the last minute in the agenda of Wednesday’s plenary meeting […]
Catalan lawmakers are voting on a bill that will allow regional authorities to officially call an Oct. 1 referendum on a split from Spain, making concrete a years-long defiance of central authorities, who see the vote as illegal. The so-called “referendum bill” was included at the last minute in the agenda of Wednesday’s plenary meeting of the regional parliament, and is likely to be passed by a pro-independence majority later in the day, paving the way to formalize plans for the ballot, AP reported. The pro-independence coalition ruling Catalonia, where a strong Catalan identity is built around its own language and traditions, says the bill will legitimize a binding vote on breaking away from Spain based on the right to self-determination. The Spanish government, however, considers that the referendum violates the country’s constitution because only the central authorities can make such a call. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to use all legal measures to ensure it doesn’t take place.
