This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/world/europe/catalan-parliament-backs-secession-vote.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Catalan Secessionists, Despite Scotland Independence Loss, Continue Push to Leave Spain | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MADRID — Undaunted by the defeat of the Scottish independence movement a day earlier, separatists in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain pressed ahead on Friday with plans to hold a similar vote there. | MADRID — Undaunted by the defeat of the Scottish independence movement a day earlier, separatists in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain pressed ahead on Friday with plans to hold a similar vote there. |
| The regional Parliament in Barcelona voted overwhelmingly, 106 to 28, to give its leader the power to call a vote on independence, a step that the central government in Madrid has said would be illegal. The vote is planned for Nov. 9. | The regional Parliament in Barcelona voted overwhelmingly, 106 to 28, to give its leader the power to call a vote on independence, a step that the central government in Madrid has said would be illegal. The vote is planned for Nov. 9. |
| Despite its outcome, Scotland’s referendum “opens the way for us, because what happened there is that they voted,” Artur Mas, the head of Catalonia’s regional government, said at a news conference. | Despite its outcome, Scotland’s referendum “opens the way for us, because what happened there is that they voted,” Artur Mas, the head of Catalonia’s regional government, said at a news conference. |
| Mr. Mas said Scotland had provided “a great lesson in democracy,” and urged Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to follow Mr. Cameron’s example and allow a referendum, rather than continue to veto proposal after proposal. “To think you can shut up a Catalan society that wants to vote isn’t going to work in a democracy of the 21st century,” Mr. Mas said. | Mr. Mas said Scotland had provided “a great lesson in democracy,” and urged Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to follow Mr. Cameron’s example and allow a referendum, rather than continue to veto proposal after proposal. “To think you can shut up a Catalan society that wants to vote isn’t going to work in a democracy of the 21st century,” Mr. Mas said. |
| Mr. Rajoy’s government said on Friday that it expected Spain’s constitutional court to strike down any attempt to hold a vote that violated Spain’s constitution. | Mr. Rajoy’s government said on Friday that it expected Spain’s constitutional court to strike down any attempt to hold a vote that violated Spain’s constitution. |
| Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, Mr. Rajoy’s deputy, said at a separate news conference that the lesson from Scotland was that voting worked when it was done legally, within a country’s own democratic rules. “British democracy has its own organization,” different from that of Spain, she said. | Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, Mr. Rajoy’s deputy, said at a separate news conference that the lesson from Scotland was that voting worked when it was done legally, within a country’s own democratic rules. “British democracy has its own organization,” different from that of Spain, she said. |
| Catalonia has a distinct language and sense of cultural identity, and has generally done better economically than the country as a whole. A widespread belief that Catalans are made to pay unfairly to subsidize the rest of Spain has helped fuel separatist sentiment. | Catalonia has a distinct language and sense of cultural identity, and has generally done better economically than the country as a whole. A widespread belief that Catalans are made to pay unfairly to subsidize the rest of Spain has helped fuel separatist sentiment. |
| Leaders of Mr. Rajoy’s center-right Populist Party insist that any question of separation must be put to a vote of all Spaniards, not just Catalans. Santi Rodriguez, a Populist member of the regional Parliament, told The Associated Press on Friday, “There are not just seven million of us who would be affected by this. There are 47 million.” | Leaders of Mr. Rajoy’s center-right Populist Party insist that any question of separation must be put to a vote of all Spaniards, not just Catalans. Santi Rodriguez, a Populist member of the regional Parliament, told The Associated Press on Friday, “There are not just seven million of us who would be affected by this. There are 47 million.” |