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Catalonia MPs to vote on secession plan in showdown with Spain's government Catalonia MPs vote for secession plan that seeks independence by 2017
(about 11 hours later)
Catalonia’s pro-independence regional parliament is expected to launch a secession process in Spain’s wealthiest region on Monday, in a showdown with the central government in Madrid. Catalonia’s pro-independence regional parliament has approved a plan to set up a roadmap for independence from Spain by 2017, in defiance of the central government.
Catalan pro-independence parties – which won a majority in the regional assembly for the first time in September elections – will vote on a resolution calling on the assembly to start working on legislation within 30 days to create a separate social security system and treasury, with a view to securing complete independence as early as 2017. Catalan pro-independence parties – which won a majority in the regional assembly for the first time in September elections – voted in favour of a resolution calling on the assembly to start working on legislation within 30 days to create a separate social security system and treasury, with a view to securing complete independence as early as 2017.
Related: The Catalan people have spoken. Will the Spanish government listen? | Artur MasRelated: The Catalan people have spoken. Will the Spanish government listen? | Artur Mas
Lawmakers will begin debating the text at 10am on Monday, with a vote expected several hours later. The Together for Yes coalition of the Catalan president, Artur Mas, and the smaller far-left separatist CUP party together hold 72 of the assembly’s 135 seats. The motion passed by 72 votes to 63.
The resolution has the backing of the Together for Yes coalition of the Catalan president, Artur Mas, and the smaller far-left separatist CUP party. Together they have a majority in the regional assembly, with 72 seats of the 135 seats. Spain’s conservative central government had vowed to ask the constitutional court to declare the resolution void if it was passed. If the court accepts the government’s appeal, as is expected, the Catalan resolution would be suspended until judges hear arguments and make their decision.
Spain’s conservative central government has vowed to immediately ask the constitutional court to declare the resolution void if it is passed. Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who is preparing for a general election on 20 December, has the backing of the main opposition Socialists and the new centre-right party Ciudadanos.
If the court accepts the government’s appeal, as is expected, the Catalan resolution would be automatically suspended until judges hear arguments and make their decision.
Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who is gearing up for a general election on 20 December, has the backing of the main opposition Socialists and new centre-right party Ciudadanos.
Related: Basque secessionists follow Catalans in push for independenceRelated: Basque secessionists follow Catalans in push for independence
Among Spain’s main parties at the national level only far-left Podemos has resisted Rajoy’s effort to forge a united front on the issue. Of Spain’s main parties at the national level, only the far-left Podemos has resisted Rajoy’s effort to forge a united front on the issue. While Podemos wants Catalonia to stay within Spain, it has also said it would support a referendum on the matter.
While Podemos wants Catalonia to stay within Spain, it has also said it would support a referendum on the matter. The Catalan resolution states that the secession process will not be subject to decisions made by Spanish institutions, including the constitutional court.
The Catalan resolution, however, states that the secession process will not be subject to decisions made by Spanish institutions, including the constitutional court. “The content of the resolution will be applied regardless of what the constitutional court says. We have strength and legitimacy, even if the Spanish states resists,” said Pere Aragones, an assembly member with Together for Yes.
“The content of the resolution will be applied regardless of what the constitutional court says. We have strength and legitimacy, even if the Spanish states resists,” Pere Aragones, a lawmaker with Together for Yes, said. In September Rajoy’s government boosted the powers of the constitutional court to allow it to quickly suspend leaders who disobey its orders, in a move aimed directly at Catalonia.
Rajoy’s government in September boosted the powers of the constitutional court to allow it to quickly suspend leaders who disobey its orders, in a move aimed directly at Catalonia. The government has also raised the possibility of invoking article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which allows Madrid to supersede the authority of a regional government that is acting outside the law or to cut off its funding.
The government has also raised the possibility of invoking article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which allows Madrid to supersede the authority of a regional government that is acting outside the law or cut off its funding, another measure that would concern the cash-strapped Catalan government. There have long been demands for greater autonomy in Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million people with its own language that accounts for a fifth of Spain’s economic output. These calls have intensified in recent years, at a time of economic crisis in Spain.
There have long been demands for greater autonomy in Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million people with its own language that accounts for a fifth of Spain’s economic output. These calls have intensified in recent years, in tandem with the country’s economic crisis. A decision by Spain’s constitutional court in 2010 to water down a 2006 statute giving the region more powers has added to the growing pressure for secession.
A decision in 2010 by Spain’s constitutional court to water down a 2006 statute giving the region more powers has added to the growing pressure for secession.
Catalonia tried to hold an official referendum on independence in 2014, but judges ruled it was against the constitution, agreeing with the central government’s argument that all Spanish people have the right to decide on matters of sovereignty.Catalonia tried to hold an official referendum on independence in 2014, but judges ruled it was against the constitution, agreeing with the central government’s argument that all Spanish people have the right to decide on matters of sovereignty.
However in November 2014 Catalonia defied Madrid and pressed ahead with the referendum, although it was purely symbolic in nature. Turnout was just 37%, of which more than 80% voted in favour of independence. However, in November 2014 Catalonia defied Madrid and pressed ahead with the referendum, although it was purely symbolic. Turnout was just 37%, of which more than 80% voted in favour of independence.
CUP lawmaker Albert Botran said: “A referendum would be the ideal tool but the Spanish government blocked it. We have no other option but unilateral action.” The CUP assembly member Albert Botran said: “A referendum would be the ideal tool but the Spanish government blocked it. We have no other option but unilateral action.”
While Catalan separatist parties won a majority of seats in the elections in September they failed win a majority of all votes cast – a fact emphasised by their opponents. Although Catalan separatist parties won a majority of seats in the elections in September, they failed win a majority of all votes cast – a fact emphasised by their opponents.
“Everything is unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic, because they lie when they say the majority of Catalans back a decoupling,” said Albert Rivera, the national leader of Ciudadanos, the main opposition party in Catalonia. “Everything is unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic because they lie when they say the majority of Catalans back a decoupling,” said Albert Rivera, the national leader of Ciudadanos, the main opposition party in Catalonia.