Spain: Catalonia Calls Vote on Split

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/world/europe/spain-catalonia-calls-vote-on-split.html

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Catalonia, Spain’s economic powerhouse, headed toward a standoff with Madrid on Thursday after separatist parties in the region announced a date next year for an independence referendum. The threat to hold a vote — and potentially break apart Spain — drew an immediate rebuke from Spanish officials who called it a violation of the Constitution. Catalan officials, however, say the vote would not be a constitutionally defined binding referendum, but rather “a popular consultation.”