Spain’s Catalonia sets independence referendum date

The Catalan regional government has agreed to hold a referendum on independence from Spain, on November, 2014, an official says.

The leader of the Catalan regional government, Artur Mas, said on Thursday that separatist parties in Spain’s northwestern Catalonia region had agreed on the wording of the referendum, which is to be held on November 9, 2014.

According to Press TV, Mas added that the vote is highly likely to be stopped short by the central government in Madrid despite immense popularity.

The referendum would ask two questions: “Do you want Catalonia to be a State?” and “Do you want that State to be independent,” Mas posited.

This is while, Spain’s Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon rejected the move, saying the country’s constitution will not allow the vote to happen.

He added that regions are not allowed to organize a vote concerning national sovereignty.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of Catalonians who call themselves “independentists.” Massive rallies have been also held to claim the self-determination right for the region.

More than one million Catalans took to the streets across Spain in September and joined hands to form a 400-kilometer (250-mile) human chain in a major drive for independence from Spain.
Polls indicate about half of Catalonia’s 7.5 million inhabitants want to break away from Spain.