Catalonia signs decree for independence referendum

Catalonian President signs a decree to hold an independence referendum for the Spanish region on 9 Novermber. 

Pro-Catalonian independence supporters rally
Pro-Catalonian independence supporters rally

The president of the Spanish region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, has signed a decree that calls for an independence referendum.

On 19 September, Catalonian lawmakers voted by 106 to 28 in favour of authorizing the independence referendum. Catalonian President Artur Mas plans for Catalonian citizens to vote on independence on 9 November

However, it is a plan that has quickly shot down as illegal by the Spanish central government in Madrid. Two hours after Mas signed the degree, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Sonya Saenz said that the referendum will not take place because it is ‘unconstitutional’.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is expected to discuss this issue at a special cabinet next week and could take it up with the country’s Constitutional Court. However, Mas claims that local Catalonian laws will allow the region to hold the vote.

“Catalonia wants to speak,” Mas said after signing the decree on Saturday. “Catalona wants to be heard and wants to vote. Now is the right time and we have the right legal framework to do so.”

The announcement comes a week after Scotland voted against independence in a referendum. While the Scotland referendum only asked people whether they wanted Scotland to be independent with the options being only yes and no, the planned Catalonian referendum  will ask two questions: “Do you want Catalonia to be a state?” and “If so, do you want Catalonia to be an independent state?”

Spain’s economic crisis has seen a surge in support for Catalonian independence, correspondents say. There is a growing dissatisfaction over the proportion of Catalonian taxes used to support porter Spanish regions.