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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Spain seeks court ban on Catalonia independence vote | Spain seeks court ban on Catalonia independence vote |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Spain's government has asked the country's constitutional court to declare Catalonia's planned independence referendum illegal. | Spain's government has asked the country's constitutional court to declare Catalonia's planned independence referendum illegal. |
| PM Mariano Rajoy told reporters that the vote was not "compatible with the Spanish constitution". | PM Mariano Rajoy told reporters that the vote was not "compatible with the Spanish constitution". |
| The head of the north-eastern Spanish region signed a decree on Saturday calling for a vote on 9 November. | The head of the north-eastern Spanish region signed a decree on Saturday calling for a vote on 9 November. |
| Hundreds of thousands of Catalans joined a protest in Barcelona recently, calling for their right to vote. | Hundreds of thousands of Catalans joined a protest in Barcelona recently, calling for their right to vote. |
| Unhappy at Spain's refusal to give Catalans more powers, protesters have been energised by Scotland's recent independence referendum, and many also waved the Scottish flag. | Unhappy at Spain's refusal to give Catalans more powers, protesters have been energised by Scotland's recent independence referendum, and many also waved the Scottish flag. |
| On Monday, Mr Rajoy said "Nobody and nothing will be allowed to break up Spain." | On Monday, Mr Rajoy said "Nobody and nothing will be allowed to break up Spain." |
| He was speaking in a televised statement to the nation after holding an emergency cabinet meeting. | He was speaking in a televised statement to the nation after holding an emergency cabinet meeting. |
| Local laws | |
| Catalonia is one of Spain's richest and most highly industrialised regions, and one of its most independent-minded. | Catalonia is one of Spain's richest and most highly industrialised regions, and one of its most independent-minded. |
| Spain's deepening economic crisis has seen a surge in support for separation. | |
| Hours after Mr Mas signed the decree on Saturday, the turnout marking a key annual day of celebration in Barcelona was substantial, with tens of thousands of people using the occasion to rally for the right to hold a referendum on independence. | |
| "La Diada", as the 300th anniversary of the end of the city's siege is known locally, has become a show of force for the Catalan independence movement. | |
| Mr Mas says he can use local laws to hold the vote, even though the central government says its blessing is required. | |
| On 19 September, regional Catalonian lawmakers voted by a margin of 106 to 28 in favour of authorising the referendum, known locally as a "consultation". |