The Spanish government has accused the Catalan parliament of committing a “constitutional and democratic atrocity” by approving legislation to allow next month’s bitterly disputed independence referendum to go ahead. The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, ordered government lawyers to file a complaint with the country’s constitutional court so that the vote could be annulled. Former Catalan PM defends 'democratic' independence vote Read moreCatalan separatists insist the wealthy north-eastern region has a political, economic and cultural right to self-determination. But Madrid is opposed to independence, arguing that it is a violation of the constitution, and has refused to offer a Scottish-style referendum on the matter. According to a poll at the end of July, 49.4% of Catalans are against independence while 41.1% support it.

Source: The Guardian September 06, 2017 21:02 UTC